Kyiv: Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine overnight triggered a fire at the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery complex, one of the country’s most sacred religious and cultural landmarks, Ukrainian officials said.
The attack formed part of a wider wave of strikes targeting Kyiv and several other regions, leaving at least nine people dead and dozens injured nationwide, according to preliminary reports from Ukrainian authorities.
Footage released by officials showed flames engulfing parts of the roof of the Dormition Cathedral, located within the UNESCO-listed Pechersk Lavra complex. The monastery, regarded as one of the most important centres of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, suffered damage amid what officials described as one of the most intense bombardments in recent weeks.
Emergency services responded to multiple strike locations across the capital, where residential buildings, markets, and infrastructure were also hit. Widespread power outages were reported in parts of Kyiv following the attacks.
Religious leaders and government officials strongly condemned the strike, calling it an assault not only on civilians but also on Ukraine’s cultural and spiritual heritage. Several injuries were reported within the monastery complex, though full damage assessments are still underway.
In a separate incident in Kharkiv, emergency responders were reportedly killed after a second strike hit the same area while rescue operations were ongoing, authorities said.
The latest wave of attacks reflects an ongoing escalation in long-range missile and drone warfare between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said the overnight assault involved coordinated strikes across multiple regions, while Kyiv has recently intensified its own long-range operations targeting military and energy infrastructure inside Russia.
The Pechersk Lavra, founded over a thousand years ago, holds immense historical and religious significance and is considered a symbol of Ukraine’s Orthodox Christian identity. Ukrainian leaders are expected to raise the issue with international organisations, including UNESCO, citing continued damage to cultural heritage sites during the conflict.
