The “symbolic blow” of Russia acquiring the rotating leadership of the UN security council has been criticised by a senior Ukrainian official.
It’s not simply a shame, commented Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to the Ukrainian president, on Twitter on Saturday. The system of international relations based on rules has been dealt another symbolic blow.
The UN’s top security body’s monthly rotating chairmanship was taken up by Russia on Saturday.
There being no way to prevent Russia from taking over the position, the US has asked it to “act itself professionally” when it does so.
In addition, Yermak criticised Iran, which Kiev and its allies claim supplied Russia with weapons, including hundreds of assault drones that have threatened Ukrainian critical assets. Iran denies providing weapons to Russia.
“It is quite striking that on the holiday of one terror state – Iran – another terror state – Russia – begins to preside over the UN security council,” Yermak remarked in reference to Iran’s Islamic Republic Day holiday.
A prominent Orthodox priest has been informed that he is suspected of condoning Russian aggression, which is against the law, by Ukraine’s top security agency.
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery’s abbot, Metropolitan Pavel, has been called in for interrogation.
Officers could be seen outside Pavel’s house on Saturday in photos supplied by the Ukrainian security service (SBU).
Up until recently, Pavel’s UOC branch had a formal affiliation with the Russian Orthodox faith.
SBU investigators searched his home, and prosecutors asked the court to place him under house arrest while the inquiry was being conducted.
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is owned by the Ukrainian government, and the organisation in charge of it gave the monks notice that the lease was being terminated and that they had until Wednesday to leave.
On Wednesday, Pavel and other clergy members assured worshippers that the monks would remain until the resolution of a case the UOC filed in a Kyiv court to prevent the removal.
He denied the security service’s assertion that he had approved of Russia’s invasion during a hearing on Saturday. His house arrest was requested by the prosecution while they conducted their investigation. The metropolitan stated that he was not feeling well, so the hearing was postponed until Monday.
Due to its longstanding ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, whose head, Patriarch Kirill, has backed Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian government has cracked down on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Insisting on its allegiance to Ukraine, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has condemned the Russian invasion from the first. The church formally renounced its allegiance to Moscow.
But, according to Ukrainian security services, certain UOC members have continued to retain strong contacts with Moscow.
