MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/. Threats of military provocations at Ukrainian churches at Easter are quite real, since certain forces seek to add religious aspects to the confrontation in Ukraine, Russian Orthodox Church spokesman Vakhtang Kipshidze said on Tuesday.

Russia’s defense ministry said on Monday that it has evidence proving that the Ukrainian side is plotting provocations at Easter, when many people gather in churches.

"Such attempts to use churches, to use the Easter holiday for provocations may only come from those forces which continue to demonstrate their interest in aggravating this confrontation, in adding some religious aspects to it and this way to make peace more distant by all possible means. I don’t think it will happen and we are praying to God for it not to happen. But, nevertheless, such a threat, regrettably, is still quite realistic," he said.