The strained relations between the "Slavic sisters", Russia and Urkaine, have recently moved to the next level of hostility. The Ukrainian rada strongly objected to making Russian the second national language, and in Lviv the authorities banned spoken Russian during the day.
The Head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill has arrived today to Kyiv on a 3-day visit, to celebrate the Day of Christening of Russia and to preside over the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Ukrainian nationalists regard these visits as an encroaching on Ukraine's religious freedom and make a point to protest against every such visit. This time they protest outside the building of the Ukrainian President's administration. They also promote the idea of the independent Ukrainian Church, with the centre in Kyiv.
However, the Patriarch's visit was also shadowed by a more proactive objection of a young woman from the FEMEN organisation, notorious for their provocations. Naked from the waist up, with "Kill Kirill" inscribed on her back, the girl shot through the lines of journalists and security guards, crying "Come out!" The cry obviously implied that the Russian guest was a representative of the Inferno.
The security was quick to neutralise the girl, although the story is already making headlines in the Russian media, having been caught on film (watch the video below).
Author: Julia Shuvalova