Believers pray and block the acess at an entry to Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra despite lease agreement expired, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Belivers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (commonly referred to as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate) pray and block the access, and Ukrainian activists argue with them, at the entry to the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv, Ukraine on 03 April 2023, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The believers blocked the access of Ukraine's Ministry of Culture commission to the monastery, despite lease agreement expired. Reserve ''Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra'' terminated the lease agreement with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church accused of being linked to the Moscow Patriarchate, with the demand to move out of the monastery by 29 March. The abbot of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Metropolitan Pavlo (Lebid), said that they do not plan to leave the Lavra and will a lawsuit against the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra national reserve, according to local media.