The Russian Foreign Ministry stated late on Sunday that the United States is behind the pressure exerted by Ukrainian authorities on the Russia-aligned wing of the Orthodox Church in Kyiv.
The ministry noted in a statement, "It is no secret that President Volodymyr Zelensky's regime is not independent in its anti-clerical policy. The Orthodox division affecting this aspect of life has long been an announced goal of Washington."
It added, "The current authorities in Kyiv's seizure of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is illegal from a legal perspective and immoral from a spiritual perspective."
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which Kyiv claims has ties to Russia, challenged the eviction order last week from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery in the capital. On Saturday, a senior Ukrainian cleric from the church, which is accused of having connections to Moscow, appeared before a court for a hearing related to allegations of glorifying Russian forces and fueling religious divisions.
