In Ukraine, the authorities of kyiv engaged, this Tuesday morning, November 22, in a police operation in a monastery of kyiv, suspected of links with Moscow. The security services (SBU) raided the sacred place of the Lavra of the Caves, the seat of the Orthodox Church located in the city center of kyiv.
From our regional correspondent, Stephane Siohan
The Ukrainian government suspects this branch of the Moscow Patriarchate to shelter subversive and sabotage activities, in connection with the Kremlin. The Caves Lavra is the oldest monastery in the historic Pechersk district of kyiv. An impressive collection of dozens of churches and sanctuaries, founded in the 11th century, and listed by Unesco.
But it is also the seat of the Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate. While the United Ukrainian Orthodox Church, formerly called the Kyiv Patriarchate, is housed in St. Sophia Cathedral, another holy site in the city.
” Counter-intelligence measures »
This Tuesday, November 22, armed men from the SBU, the police and the national guard, entered the monastery of the Caves, for “ counterintelligence measures “, according to the authorities. And to deal with subversive activities by Russian special services in Ukraine.
Ukrainian security forces are looking for saboteurs, Russian agents and weapons, who are believed to be hiding in the monastery under religious cover.
Pro-Russian positions
Since the start of the war in Donbass in 2014, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Patriarchate of Moscow has often taken pro-Russian positions, but has also harbored Russian or separatist agents or fighters.
Since 2019, the Moscow branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been on the decline. It faces competition from a unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Its clergy was greatly confused by Calls for War by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. But now the kyiv government is questioning its loyalty to the Ukrainian state.
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