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Kiev regime behind Ukrainian Orthodoxy schism — Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman

Preparations to seize the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, which began on Bankovaya Street yesterday, are now under way, Maria Zakharova said

MOSCOW, December 3. /TASS/. The Kiev regime, led by President Vladimir Zelensky, is masterminding the schism in Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

"Preparations to seize the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, which began on Bankovaya Street [housing the presidential administration building] yesterday, are now under way. The Kiev regime, led by Zelensky, <…> is masterminding the schism in the Ukrainian Orthodoxy," the spokeswoman wrote on her Telegram channel.

Earlier, press secretary of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Archbishop of Chernigov and Nezhin Yevstratiy Zorya reported that the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra had been registered as a monastery within the OCU. Its leader, Epiphanius (Dumenko) is now heading the monastery as a legal entity. Decisions by state bodies are necessary in order for the monastery to change hands from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to the OCU, but now a legal entity has been created, which can use its property and premises.

On Thursday, Ukraine’s president, Vladimir Zelensky, issued a decree to enact a resolution of the National Security and Defense Council on Certain Aspects of the Activities of Religious Organizations in Ukraine and the Application of Personal Special Economic and Other Restrictive Measures (Sanctions), essentially aimed at banning the UOC. More specifically, he issued orders to submit a bill to parliament on banning "religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence in the Russian Federation," stepping up "measures to identify and counter subversive activities by Russian special services in Ukraine’s religious sphere," and scrutinizing the Charter governing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for signs of ecclesiastical and canonic links with the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is one of Russia's first monasteries and is the oldest monastery in modern-day Ukraine. It was founded in the 11th century. Currently, the monastery's territory covers over 20 hectares. Recently, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies conducted a series of raids against UOC churches, including at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claims that "pro-Russian literature and millions in cash," as well as materials denying the existence of Ukraine" were found.

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