The Russian Foreign Ministry called the removal of the relics of saints from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra a provocation.

An attempt on Orthodox shrines, along with attacks on major Russian cities, is a provocation that Kiev is going to commit. This was stated to Izvestia by Rodion Miroshnik, Ambassador-at-large of the Russian Foreign Ministry for crimes of the Kiev regime.

Procession: relics of saints began to be taken out of the caves of the Kiev Caves Lavra

The monks call this blasphemy.

"Activation concerning the main values that are relevant to the whole of Orthodoxy is certainly a challenge. The challenge they are throwing against the background of the negotiation process, against the background of Russia's demands to protect the Russian population, our compatriots, and traditional values," the diplomat said.

Earlier it became known about the removal of a shrine with the relics of saints from the Lower Caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra for unknown manipulations.