Religious Tensions Rise Between Ukraine and Russia Over Orthodox Church

Pro-Ukrainian protesters and Orthodox believers face off at the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, as Ukrainian authorities accuse a group of Orthodox monks of having links to Russia. The Ukrainian government has threatened to evict the priests if they do not willingly leave, though the process could take weeks. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church officially broke ties with the Russian Patriarchate after the invasion of Ukraine last year, but Kyiv believes it remains de facto dependent on Moscow. Moscow has accused the United States of being behind the pressure that Ukrainian authorities have been exerting on the church.