According to the Union of Orthodox Journalists, a man in military uniform harassed a Russian Orthodox priest outside of Russia and shouted at him, forcing him to take a Ukrainian flag to the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church noted that the priest is a Swiss citizen who came to Ukraine to support the church’s followers. In a video showing the incident, the man in uniform spoke aggressively to the clergyman and asked if he had defended Ukraine. “If you love Ukraine, even a little bit, take the flag! Take the flag quickly!” he shouted.
“I love God!” The priest responded in Russian, to which the military man demanded that he speak Ukrainian and called him a “damned Moskal,” an ethnic insult to Russians mainly used in other Slavic nations. The man continued to demand that the priest take the flag, and when he refused, he insulted him and called him a “repugnant Swiss.”
The incident occurred while the massive persecution by Ukrainian authorities against the country’s canonical Orthodox Church continues, including church raids, takeovers, and allegations of pro-Russian activities. The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra is at the center of this persecution. In late March, Ukrainian authorities requested that the monks leave the site, while the country’s Minister of Culture, Alexander Tkachenko, stated that his ministry would audit the museum’s pieces, including the relics of saints that are in the lavra.
Meanwhile, the religious figures at the historic monastery, founded in the 11th century, are refusing to leave until there is a judicial decision to validate the unilateral termination of the lease contract by the Ministry of Culture. On Friday, police arrived at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and blocked the entrance and exit of one of its churches, where a service was taking place.