MinCult urges Ukrainians not to protest Lavra show to avoid aiding Russia

Maksym Ostapenko sees the reaction of Ukrainians to the culinary show in the Lavra as a hand of the Kremlin. Photo: Screenshot from 1+1 YouTube channel

Maksym Ostapenko, Director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve, posted an "urgent statement" on the Reserve's Facebook page in response to widespread public outrage over the culinary show held in the Lavra’s Refectory Church.

According to Ostapenko, the culinary show in the Refectory Church "fully complies with current legislation and the requirements for maintaining historical and cultural monuments, and in no way harms 20th-century paintings." He also claimed that the Refectory Hall "is not a church and has always been used for celebrations – spiritual, cultural, and educational."

Ostapenko assured that he and his colleagues "sincerely regret" that "this event caused misunderstandings and may have offended the religious feelings of believers."

At the same time, he hinted that those criticizing the culinary show in the Lavra might be serving the Kremlin's interests: "Russia and pro-Russian forces systematically use the Lavra in their propaganda and information-psychological operations (IPSO) to incite disputes and create divisions among Ukrainians. We urge everyone to verify information and be mindful of provocations, often spread by the enemy."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the RCC had called the Lavra show a "revival of communism".

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