Riot police deployed in Kiev as hundreds of masked pro-Ukraine activists march on monastery to stop pro-Russians holding their own rally

Protestors tried to storm revered Orthodox monastery Kiev Pechersk Lavra

Activists tried to stop pro-Russian supporters from holding their own march

The monastery is under the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarchy

The Ukrainian Orthodox church separated from the Russian one in the 1990s

D emonstration came as Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly expressed support for Ukraine's declaration of a cease-fire

Riot police were deployed in Kiev today as hundreds of masked pro-Ukraine activists marched on a monastery in an attempt to strop pro-Russians holding their own rally.

Protestors, many of them wearing balaclavas or scarves to hide their faces, marched outside Kiev Pechersk Lavra, a revered Orthodox monastery in the city, which was guarded by riot police, including some officers on horseback.

The activists had come to prevent pro-Russian supporters from holding their own march at the monastery, which is under the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarchy.

Protection: Riot police were deployed in Kiev today as hundreds of masked pro-Ukraine activists marched on a monastery in an attempt to strop pro-Russians holding their own rally

Masked: A crowd of masked Ukrainian nationalists, mostly teenagers, prepare to storm the Russian Orthodox monastery Demonstration: Activists from various pro-Ukrainian radical youth groups shout slogans as policemen guard the entrance of the monastery

Holy site: Orthodox priests pray as police officers in riot gear guard the entrance of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra

The crowd of Ukrainian nationalists, who were mostly teenagers, had tried to get inside the monastery as they suspected it would support separatism.

Priests were seen praying outside the monastery as police officers stopped the protestors from getting inside.

After attempting to get inside the monastery the demonstrators then turned their attention to other Russian properties in Kiev, including a bank and the houses of Russian diplomats in Kiev.



The Ukrainian Orthodox church separated from the Russian one in the early 90s, creating its own national church and accepted by the Russians as a schismatic church.

On guard: Priests are seen behind a line of riot police protecting them from an aggressive crowd of Ukrainian nationalists Split: The Ukrainian Orthodox church separated from the Russian one in the early 90s, creating its own national church and accepted by the Russians as a schismatic church

Anger: The crowd of Ukrainian nationalists, who were mostly teenagers, had tried to get inside the monastery as they suspected it would support separatism

March: The activists had come to prevent pro-Russian supporters from holding their own march at the monastery, which is under the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarchy

The demonstration came as Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly expressed support for Ukraine's declaration of a cease-fire in its battle against pro-Russian separatists and called on both sides to negotiate a compromise.

Putin said such a compromise must guarantee the rights of the Russian-speaking residents of eastern Ukraine, who must feel like they are 'an integral part' of their own country. Putin's statement appeared to signal that he sees their future in Ukraine.

Separatists in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions have declared independence and asked to join Russia. Moscow has rebuffed their appeals, but is seen by Ukraine and the West as actively supporting the insurgency.



Pro-Ukraine: Protestors place their hands on their chests as they sing the Ukrainian national anthem

Shielded: Police officer cover themselves with riot shields as they guard the entrance to the place of worship

Putin's conciliatory words coincided with Russia commencing large-scale military exercises. NATO has also accused Russia of moving troops back toward the Ukrainian border.



Putin appears determined to keep up the pressure to force the Kiev government to give the eastern industrial regions more powers and to prevent Ukraine from moving too close to the European Union or NATO. But he also wants to avoid more punishing sanctions from the U.S. and particularly from the E.U., whose leaders will meet Friday in Brussels, and therefore needs to be seen as cooperating with efforts to de-escalate the conflict.

The Kremlin initially dismissed the peace plan that new Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko laid out on Friday. But in a statement issued late Saturday, Putin said he welcomed the cease-fire and Poroshenko's 'intention to take other concrete steps to reach a peaceful settlement.'

Horseback: Mounted police surround the monastery today

Nationalist: An Ukrainian nationalist holding his country's flag stands by as riot police hold up their shields during the demonstration

Flag waving: A masked Ukrainian nationalist waves a flag of the Right Sector, an ultra-right nationalist organisation, during the march

As part of his plan, Poroshenko has suggested a decentralisation of power to give the regions more political authority. He also proposed new local and parliamentary elections, and measures to protect the language rights of Russian speakers in the east.

Putin was more specific when he spoke publicly following ceremonies commemorating the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941.

'That President Poroshenko announced a truce is without a doubt an important part of a final settlement, without which no agreement can be reached, and there is no doubt that Russia will support this intention, but in the end the most important thing is a political process,' Putin said.

Armed: A Young Ukrainian nationalist holds a wooden stick behind his back as he stands in front of a row of policemen defending the houses of Russian diplomats in Kiev

Putin discussed the cease-fire on Sunday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, Merkel's office and the Kremlin said.

'After the Russian government too referred to the cease-fire in positive terms, the interlocutors emphasised the need for all sides to abide by it now and for a political dialogue to be put in motion,' Merkel's office said in a statement.



'Another topic of the conversation was the issue of securing the Ukrainian-Russian border.'

In Kiev, Poroshenko also addressed his nation on the day on which Ukrainians and Russians mourn the millions who died during World War II. He called for peace, but urged his compatriots to stand strong and united.

'It was so during the violent struggle against the Nazis and it should be the same now,' Poroshenko said.



'Facing a real threat, we must unite even more and secure our historical choice, defend our right to live freely on our land.'

Putin has appealed to both sides to halt all military operations and sit down at the negotiating table.

However, It remains unclear whether the pro-Russia separatists would comply and how much pressure Russia would put on them to cease fire.

Putin said today that fighting was continuing, including what he said was artillery fire from the Ukrainian side. Poroshenko has said his troops reserve the right to fire back if separatists attack them or civilians.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated sharply in February when protests in favor of closer Ukrainian ties with the European Union drove pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych from power.



Russia denounced the events as a coup and annexed Ukraine's mostly Russian-speaking Crimea region. Rebellion in the eastern regions broke out shortly afterward, with Ukraine accusing Russia of supporting it. Hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands have fled their homes.