The incident near the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra involved a vehicle reportedly carrying an icon in its trunk, which Ukrainian police prevented from leaving the area for a time. The report comes from a Ukrainian news outlet describing the pause in movement until the icon was returned to the monastery, after which the carriage was allowed to depart.
At a press briefing addressing the Lavra situation, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, who serves as an advisor to the Moscow Patriarchate, noted that security around the monastery included pickup trucks, often described as paddy wagons, stationed near the walls and within the grounds. He emphasized that the Moscow Patriarchate continues to monitor the developments closely, underscoring ongoing concern from the Russian Orthodox Church side.
The flare-up in tensions around the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra followed a decision by Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture to unilaterally terminate the monastery lease with the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Monks were requested to vacate the Lavra by March 29, and Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko indicated that the monks could remain if they were transferred to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Earlier, a report by RT described the Lavra territory in a state of heightened alert, noting armed police presence with machine guns at the site. The evolving situation has drawn international attention as authorities and church representatives navigate questions of ownership, religious rights, and the management of sacred sites in a time of regional tension.