MELEH: KYIV USES ORTHODOX RELICS TO PAY FOR ARMS DELIVERIES

MOSCOW, AUGUST 25 /SRNA/ - Many stolen Orthodox relics could be used to pay for weapons supplied to Kyiv by Western countries, Mikhail Meleh, special envoy of the Russian Foreign Ministry for international cooperation in the field of freedom of religion, said.

“There are strong reasons to believe that the seizure of Orthodox relics, including the remains of saints and church property, is being carried out with the intention of taking them out of Ukraine and reselling them. The current Ukrainian authorities, which actively profit from their country’s heritage, view these items merely as commodities,” Meleh said.

According to him, Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture often emphasizes that their value is determined not by their spiritual or cultural significance, but by the price they fetch at auction, TASS reported.

“Some experts have good reason to believe that many stolen works of ancient Orthodox art could potentially be used as collateral or as a means of payment for Western arms deliveries to Ukraine,” Meleh added.

He reminded that as early as June 2023, media reports warned that Ukrainian officials had reached an agreement with UNESCO to remove ancient icons and relics from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, arguing that this would ensure their safety in European museums.