Russia demands immediate release of Orthodox cleric detained in Ukraine

FILE PHOTO: Abbot of the Kyiv Pechers Lavra Metropolitan, Pavlo of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, accused of being linked to Moscow, attends a court hearing, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 1, 2023. REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi/

(Reuters) - Russia on Saturday demanded the immediate release of a senior Orthodox cleric detained in Kyiv on suspicion of inflaming religious hatred and justifying Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A Kyiv court ordered pre-trial detention on Friday for Metropolitan Pavlo, a senior figure in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who had been under house arrest since April.