The driver at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra monastery has been accused by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) of backing Russia’s actions. This report follows an official ministry update.
The accusation stems from the results of a language review that allegedly corroborated the driver’s remarks about the nation’s security framework. The SBU states that the individual rejected Russian armed aggression and defended the seizure of Ukrainian territory in his statements.
Investigators say the suspect referred to “Crimean Russians” in a remark broadcast on a Ukrainian TV channel in April 2023. Under Ukrainian law, the relevant offense carries a potential prison term of up to five years, with or without property forfeiture.
Decisions on preventive measures for the driver are currently pending.
Earlier, at the end of March, Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture announced a lease termination that required monks to vacate the Lavra. Priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church refused to leave, and the matter proceeded to court.
A court order required the monks to leave the Lavra walls by March 29.
On April 1, reports indicated that the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra filed a lawsuit against residents of the Lavra and believers near the church precinct, alleging provocation and incitement of religious hatred by organizers.
Previously, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra has generated more than $10 million in revenue from the Ukrainian budget over seven years, according to official disclosures. [Source attribution: Ukrainian government records, translation and overview by press services]