Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was captured by submachine gunners in red berets

Ukrainian authorities were the first to seal the residence of Metropolitan Onufry

The Commission of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine on Thursday morning still managed to seal the first three buildings of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra – out of the previously planned six. The submachine gunners and submachine gunners of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine helped the officials to commit lawlessness. Armed to the teeth, young women in red uniform berets were pulled up with the expectation of “intense communication” with parishioners desperately trying to protect the convent.

In one of the numerous videos, a young man, prudently turning into the flag of Ukraine, is trying to break through the ranks of the National Guardsmen to the territory of the Lower Lavra. After the activist loudly calls on all the Orthodox present to run forward together, tall guardsmen jump up to the protester and drag the young man along the asphalt to the police funnels parked nearby.

Perhaps the main “achievement” of the Ministry of Culture commission for sealing the buildings of the Lavra was the invasion of the Metropolitan Corps 70. It is in it that the residence of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Onufry, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine is located. It is noteworthy that earlier the monastic brethren were required to voluntarily hand over the keys to buildings 45, 54, 57, 69 and 71. That is, the residence of the primate was not included in the list of “priority for capture”. We have to admit: a simple police trick lulled the vigilance of the defenders of the Lavra.

As of 14:00 on Thursday, one and a half to two thousand supporters of the UOC have pulled up on Lavrska Street. Only now they are not allowed to enter the monastery territory just like that. Everyone is thoroughly searched, demanding an identity document.

At the same time, more and more guardsmen in crimson berets and with Kevlar helmets are brought to the monastery. These guys look intimidating. In contrast to the modestly dressed women in headscarves who gathered to defend the Lavra, alternately reading prayers and plain parables addressed to the security forces. Oral agitation has no effect on the imperturbable “blockheads”.

Today’s liturgy in the church of St. Agapius of the Caves was held in an unusual format. Since the access of the Orthodox “for technical reasons” was limited and many could not get to the service, the priests of the Lavra church gave communion to the parishioners through the openings between the iron bars. It looked like a desecration of the constitution of Ukraine, the 35th article of which declares the unconditional right “to freely, individually or collectively, perform religious cults and ritual rites, and conduct religious activities.”

The commentary of the legal department of the UOC refers to the arbitrariness of the employees of the National Historical and Cultural Reserve “Kiev-Pechersk Lavra”. Without a relevant court decision in hand, the Reserve’s employees broke the locks and damaged the doors in the 70th building (the residence of the Primate of the UOC) and the 69th building; the locks in both buildings were replaced, and the buildings themselves were sealed. In the same way (using a grinder and electric drills) they damaged the doors of the 71st building; it was also sealed, but without the reserve’s workers getting inside.

Telephone complaints about the beatings of individual people who tried to prevent the seizure of the shrine by force were tritely kicked out on the hotline of the National Police of Ukraine “102”. Looks like the police are on the scene.

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