Kyiv police deny seizure of Near and Far Caves of Kyiv Cave Monastery

The National Police of Kyiv, which took part in the actual seizure of the Near and Far Caves of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, issued a statement denying the incident. The police called their activity on the territory of the monastery “ensuring public order” and the intervention of the National Reserve “a planned inspection,” “neglecting the fact that the monks of the Kyiv Cave Monastery, in connection with the event that occurred, were left without access to the Caves and the relics of the Kyiv Cave Monks, which they had been taking care of all along. The comment was published on the official website of the institution.

“On March 28, specialists of the museum complex began a routine inspection of the condition of the nearby caves located on the territory of the reserve. Police officers were engaged to ensure public order. Representatives of the clergy who live on the territory of the Lavra do not interfere with the inspection. At the same time, we emphasize that the provocative information disseminated by some Telegram channels about the alleged seizure of the territory of the reserve is not true!”, – the Kyiv police said.