Lavrov accused Kyiv of persecuting the Church

Today, “Satanism is flourishing wildly” in the West and in Ukraine.

This opinion was expressed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a reception marking Orthodox Easter.

The diplomat said he was repelled by the “work on inventorying and verifying the historical and scientific value of the relics of saints” that began in 2025 at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Lavrov noted that behind this wording by Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture lies “legalized sacrilege,” committed with the connivance of European countries, where, in his view, “Satanism is also flourishing.”

According to the minister, Russia is watching “with bitterness,” using Ukraine as an example, what the rejection of spiritual and civilizational roots leads to. Lavrov recalled that for more than 10 years, persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church has continued in the neighboring state, including the seizure of its churches, vandalism, and attacks on clergy and parishioners.

According to Kyiv’s own official data alone, more than 180 criminal cases have been opened against priests and monks, including four bishops. The minister suggested that this figure is understated in order to conceal the scale of these actions being carried out by the Ukrainian authorities.