Lavrov announced Russia's intention to fight for the rights of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine

Russia will not leave the Orthodox people of Ukraine in trouble and will fight for the restoration of the rights of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). This was announced on May 20 by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a speech at an Easter reception in Moscow.

The Russian Foreign Minister stressed that seizures of churches continue on Ukrainian territory, acts of vandalism and attacks on priests and parishioners are observed.

Among other things, he noted the abuse of the feelings of believers by organizing work in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra "to inventory and verify the historical and scientific values of the relics of saints," which, as Lavrov emphasized, were entrusted to veterinarians. According to the minister, such blasphemies are supported by many European countries.

"Russia will not leave the Orthodox people of Ukraine in trouble and will ensure that their legitimate rights are respected, and canonical Orthodoxy regains its central place in the spiritual life of the people on Ukrainian lands," Lavrov said.

Dead souls: Kiev continues repressions against canonical Orthodoxy

European capitals remain silent

In the Ukrainian city of Zastavna, Chernivtsi region, on May 17, schismatics from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) seized the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos of the canonical UOC. It was clarified that the OCU supporters knocked down the elderly people on the territory, and they also cut off the locks on the doors. At the same time, the police officers did not prevent the seizure.

Prior to that, on May 15, schismatics from the OCU, with the assistance of the police, seized the Resurrection Church in the city of Krasilov, Khmelnitsky region, belonging to the canonical UOC. At about eight o'clock in the morning, representatives of the OCU, including clerics and their escorts, broke down the doors of the temple. One of the priests of the UOC, who tried to prevent the seizure, was forcibly knocked to the floor. They took away his phone, which the clergyman was filming on.