The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was engulfed in flames as Russia launched strikes on multiple Ukrainian cities overnight. Concurrently, Moscow reported three fatalities from a Ukrainian drone attack.
The primary cathedral within Kyiv’s historic Pechersk Lavra monastery complex caught fire after Russia carried out a significant overnight missile assault on several Ukrainian cities, officials stated Monday, describing it as the most intense aerial bombardment of the capital in two weeks.
Ukraine’s military reported that Russia launched 70 missiles and 611 drones. Based on preliminary figures, it stated that air defenses intercepted 50 of the missiles and 582 of the drones.
At least nine individuals lost their lives.
What are the details of the attack on the Pechersk Lavra monastery?
The strikes ignited a fire on the rooftop of the capital’s historic Dormition Cathedral, situated within the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery complex.
"A brutal attack on our people and our heritage. This is the genuine reflection of Russia's Orthodox principles," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on X, referring to the site as a "priceless cultural treasure."
She posted a video allegedly showing the top of the cathedral consumed by flames.
Other footage revealed a large hole on one side of the church.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, accused Russia of purposefully targeting "the core of one of the largest Christian sanctuaries."
Metropolitan Epiphanius, leader of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, condemned the assault as yet another Moscow "offense against humanity, against history, against Christianity."
The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery was established in 1051 and stands as a key emblem of Ukraine’s spiritual and cultural legacy. It has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990.
The monastery complex, featuring golden domes, contains an extensive network of underground caves.
Moscow refutes striking historic monastery
Russia has denied hitting the Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv, with the Foreign Ministry asserting it was a "blatant fabrication" by Ukraine and the West.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused European politicians of hastily condemning Moscow while remaining silent about deadly Ukrainian strikes on a student dormitory and a museum in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Earlier on Monday, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated it had not targeted the 1,000-year-old monastery but instead what it termed military factories, attributing the damage to the religious complex to a US-made Patriot air defense missile.
Ukraine reports extensive Russian attacks on Kharkiv
Air raid sirens resonated across much of Ukraine in the early hours of Monday as Russia launched its latest wave of attacks.
Five rescue workers were killed in Kharkiv while battling fires, Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said. He added that at least nine other individuals were injured.
In Kyiv, residents heard a series of loud explosions throughout the capital as they took cover underground.
"Kyiv is under the primary assault. There is substantial damage to civilian infrastructure," Klymenko stated.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that strikes occurred in three districts of Kyiv, with at least 23 people hurt.
The strikes also damaged power lines, leaving approximately 140,000 Kyiv residents without electricity, according to city officials.
Russia claims to repel Ukrainian drones
Russia on Monday also reported a Ukrainian drone strike in the city of Tula, roughly 200 kilometers (120 miles) south of Moscow.
Three people were killed and three others were wounded in the attack, regional governor Dmitry Milyaev said in a statement.
Moscow was also defending against a drone attack overnight, its mayor said.
Both Ukraine and Russia deny deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in the conflict that has lasted over four years.
Putin acknowledges Ukraine's drones are harming Russia's economy
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Edited by: Rana Taha
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