Media: Western embassies urge authorities to prevent violence in Lavra

UOC worshippers block the entrance to the Church of St. Agapitus of the Caves. Photo: bbc.com

On 30 March 2023, it became known that Western embassies started pressing the Ukrainian government to prevent violence in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, reports the BBC.

The journalists said that UOC believers had formed "protection groups" for the Lavra's churches and premises to prevent a commission from being allowed there to "accept" the Lavra's property.

"So far, it looks like the UOC has partially seized the initiative from the authorities. How, under such conditions, the Ministry of Culture is going to continue to implement the strategy of eviction of the monastery and the UOC structures is unclear. Without the help of the police, which could unblock and push back the protesters, the case will not move from the dead point. And the police have not interfered so far, and for the authorities, the footage of fights between the police and elderly, albeit energetic, women will clearly not do any good," the BBC said.

The publication also wrote that "video of the fights and expulsion of the UOC from the temple in Ivano-Frankivsk on March 28 has already spread around the world. According to the BBC, "even Western embassies started to press the authorities to avoid violence in the Lavra".

The journalists also reported that both the monks and the Theological Academy with the offices of the archdiocese "never left".

As reported, a video of the gas attack inside the UOC Cathedral in Ivano-Frankivsk hit the Internet.

Read also