General Staff's spokesman: Special services ban fundraising for Lavra abbot

Andriy Kovalev (on the right) together with his "spiritual mentor" from the OCU. Photo: facebook.com/andriy.kovalov

On July 18, 2023, the spokesperson for the General Staff of the AFU, Andriy Kovalev, revealed that the special services conducted "preventive conversations" with the initiators of fundraising for the bail payment for Metropolitan Pavel.

During a broadcast on "Channel 5," Kovalev, a former press secretary of the UOC-KP, commented on his Facebook post, where he mentioned the donation boxes set up for the bail payment.

According to his opinion, "ideological followers of the Moscow Patriarchate throw money there (into the donation boxes), but I am not sure they can gather the 33 million hryvnias declared for citizen Lebed".

He was pleased that the "exposure" works in Ukraine, and he stated that some special services saw his post on Facebook, and their representatives conducted "preventive conversations" with the individuals from the Moscow Patriarchate. As a result, after a few hours, the signs for the bail for Metropolitan Pavel were removed from the donation boxes, and these activities ceased.

As reported, Metropolitan Pavel addressed the brethren of the Lavra from the Lukyanivka Prison.

Read also

Pope Leo and Lithuania's President discuss war in Ukraine and its consequences

The discussion was about the "need to intensify the search for diplomatic solutions and to avert the risk of an escalation of the conflict".

Supreme Court opens case on UOC appeal against DESS orders

The Supreme Court will review the appeal of the Kyiv Metropolis in the case concerning its “liquidation.”