Washington can give a tough response to the situation with Tithes Monastery, – political expert

"The situation with Desiatinny monastery is largely due to the fact that attacks on the UOC have recently become more frequent," the expert said. “The fact that representatives of nationalist groups tried to seize it (before that there were attempts to set it on fire) indicates that this tactic, i.e. using nationalist organizations against the UOC, is increasingly employed. Over the past couple of months, we've seen a few similar cases. In my opinion, this is an attempt by a part of the government to make pressure on the UOC, including on the eve of the 2019 elections, realizing that the UOC has a great influence on some of our citizens. Moreover, the cross processions held by the Church proves it. This is an indicator of further offensives towards the UOC."

According to Yakubin, it is clear that nationalist groups are acting under the influence of a part of the government that wants to obtain some concessions from the UOC.

“Another thing is that the situation at hand turned out different to expectations of those who had undertaken this attack, since some brethren of the monastery as well as its abbot appeared American citizens who in the context of the goings-on wrote a letter to Donald Trump and the Ambassador of the USA in Ukraine,” he remarked. Therefore, I think that this situation can have further development, because on the 8th of February there will be a prayer breakfast with Trump in Washington. And the Administration of the US President has more authority regarding violations of the religious rights of citizens around the world."

The expert does not rule out that this story may have "further resonance and development for the authorities that initiated this action.” "Those who organized this action did not really think that there is a link to the international community and American influence. Washington can react to this very harshly in a sense that that part of our politicians who started this action with the help of nationalist groups, will just once again receive a yellow card from Washington," the political expert said.

It will be reminded that on Saturday, February 3rd, on the Landscape Alley in Kiev there was an action in support of Tithes Monastery during which one radical beat another. The monastery’s brethren expressed their gratitude to thousands of the Orthodox believers who had come on that day to support the shrine.

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