Fire Breaks Out at Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra as Clergy Obstruct Magnolia TV from Filming the Incident

One of the clergymen reportedly demanded that another "hit the journalist over the head."

A fire broke out on November 4 in one of the second-floor buildings on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into obstruction of journalistic activity by several members of the clergy. 

Journalists from the Magnolia TV channel tried to film the incident, but Lavra clergy forcibly tried to prevent them from doing so.

Fire at the Lavra

The fire reportedly started in a building housing an icon-painting workshop. The flames spread to the roof of the building.

Dozens of firefighters and special equipment were called in to extinguish the fire. First Deputy Interior Minister Yevgeny Yenin reported four injured people. The cause of the fire will be determined by law enforcement authorities.

According to rescuers, the fire broke out at 13:45 in the two-story building of Corps No. 68 on the Lavra grounds. 

At 14:37, firefighters localized the blaze over an area of 100 square meters, and by 14:45 they had extinguished it. In total, 55 people and 13 units of State Emergency Service equipment were involved in firefighting.

The Ministry of Culture said that the building did not sustain significant damage as a result of the fire, but one person suffered injuries of moderate severity.

Meanwhile, according to the Kyiv City State Administration, three people were injured: one person jumped from a window and is suspected of having a fracture, and two others suffered carbon monoxide poisoning.

Obstruction of Journalists

During the fire, the church's rector, Metropolitan Pavel, interfered with journalists from the Magnolia TV channel filming the incident.

As the Magnolia TV report says, during the filming of the fire, a man in a cassock approached the camera crew; he later identified himself as Father Arseniy. He snatched a journalist's phone from his hands and went over to other clergy, in particular to the rector, Pavel.

The clergymen demanded that the TV crew stop filming and delete the video from the phone and camera. Pavel, the Magnolia TV report says, reportedly "demanded that the reporter be hit over the head."

Journalists turned to the police. A criminal case was opened under Part 1 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code (obstruction of lawful professional journalistic activity).

The penalty under the article provides for a fine of up to 850 hryvnias, arrest for up to six months, or restriction of liberty for up to three years.