Four people have been killed and dozens injured after Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Kyiv in recent weeks, with a strike also damaging the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, one of Ukraine’s most significant religious and cultural landmarks.
The monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site founded in 1051, caught fire during the attack. Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said the site sustained serious damage in what Ukrainian officials described as a direct strike.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko condemned the attack, stating: “A brutal assault on our people and our heritage. This is the true face of Russia’s Orthodox values.”
The overnight barrage saw Russia launch 70 missiles and 611 drones across Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian military. Air defence systems reportedly intercepted 50 missiles and 582 drones, though ballistic missiles continued to pose a significant threat.
“Ballistic missiles remain a problem for us,” Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said. “Of the 34 ballistic missiles launched, only 15 were shot down, although that is a strong result.”
In Kyiv, drones and missiles struck residential high-rise buildings and power infrastructure, leaving around 140,000 residents without electricity. Authorities reported four deaths and 30 injuries in the capital.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate condemned the Russian strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, calling it an unjustifiable attack on a sacred UNESCO-listed site. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew later spoke with Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressing his condemnation of the attack, condolences for the victims, and solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attack on the monastery and said it reinforced international efforts to secure a ceasefire.
“This attack only justifies our determination to do everything we can, along with our allies and partners, to work towards a ceasefire and then for a peace deal, which Russia is stubbornly refusing,” Macron said.
European Union Vice-President Kaja Kallas described the targeting of civilians and a UNESCO-listed site as “war crimes”, while Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv would seek action through UNESCO and other international bodies.
Russia denied responsibility for the damage to the monastery, claiming it had been struck by a US-made Patriot air defence missile. President Zelenskyy rejected that account, saying the site was hit by a Russian drone.
The attack came as diplomatic efforts to end the war continued. President Zelenskyy recently spoke with US President Donald Trump and has renewed calls for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, proposals that have received support from Britain, France and Germany.
Despite ongoing international mediation efforts, including Turkey’s offer to host talks between the two sides, progress towards a ceasefire remains limited more than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
Source: ABC News
