Ukraine monastery raid as SBU targets Russian agents

Ukraine’s security service has raided a historic monastery in Kyiv in an operation it says was aimed at stopping Russian agents using the site for sabotage, intelligence or weapons.  The Pechersk Lavra Orthodox Christian monastery dates back to the 11th Century and is now a seat of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church. The Church split from the Moscow patriarchate after Russia’s invasion. The Kremlin said the raid was another attack by Kyiv on Russian Orthodoxy. The SBU security service in Kyiv announced on Tuesday it was conducting “counter-intelligence measures” to target the “subversive activities” of Russian special services. It said there was an increased risk of attack, sabotage and hostage-taking in places that attracted large groups of citizens. The monastery, which is a Unesco World Heritage site, was one of a number of Orthodox churches raided on Tuesday, as authorities responded to complaints that clergy had been glorifying Russia and could be in league with the Kremlin. A criminal inquiry was opened a week ago after a video emerged of pro-Russian propaganda being sung, referring to the awakening of Mother Russia.(BBC)…[+]