On April 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Russia congratulated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on his “professional holiday” and condemned the persecution of the Orthodox by the Ukrainian authorities. This is stated in the message of the department, published in Telegram.

“Earlier, April Fool's Day in Ukraine was celebrated with the Odessa “Humorina” (a festival of humor in Odessa - approx. “Lenta.ru”). Now - the arrest of the abbot of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel and the persecution of the Orthodox, ”the Foreign Ministry said.