Lockdown rules ease: Ukraine lifts lockdown rules for Orthodox Easter

After one month of tighter lockdown rules in Ukraine's capital, coronavirus measures were lifted in Kyiv ahead of Orthodox Easter celebrations.

From Saturday, public transport resumed without restrictions, while all cafes, restaurants and entertainment centers were allowed to reopen. In the afternoon, people came to a Russian Orthodox Church to consecrate Easter food. Most of them were not wearing masks.

One of the church's priests blessed the believers by smearing a brush dipped in holy water across their faces and mouths.

Children will return to in-person schooling on May 5. Workers and volunteers at the SVOI charity foundation, which provides oxygen concentrators to hospital outpatients, were worried about the lifting of restrictions.

In Kyiv, 671 new cases of the virus were registered on Friday.