By KYIV. Dec 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The police are ready to respond to any offenses that may occur in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, no operational information about possible provocations has been received, Chief of the National Police Ihor Klymenko has said.
In a blitz interview with Interfax-Ukraine, answering the question of whether the police would be involved in ensuring law and order in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra if the clergy refused to voluntarily leave the buildings in connection with the termination of a lease agreement for several cathedrals, Klymenko said: "This is common practice to maintain public safety and order on public holidays near places of worship. This was the case before the full-scale invasion, and now the patrols are generally enhanced."
In this context, he continued: "I can state one thing with confidence: the police always act exclusively within the law. If there are violations, we react to it. We also act preventively – just through additional reinforced patrols, which we are bringing closer, including to places of religious events."
Speaking about whether there is operational information about possible provocations and confrontations involving believers, the National Police chief said: "We did not have operational information about provocations. But in any case, the police are always there."
As reported earlier, Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko said that the ministry would recommend not renewing the lease of the Holy Dormition Cathedral and the Refectory Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).
