At least 9 people were killed and dozens injured after Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, setting part of Kyiv’s historic Pechersk Lavra monastery on fire and causing widespread damage across the country.
The overnight barrage targeted multiple regions, with authorities reporting deaths in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy and Russia’s Tula region as both sides continued long-range attacks.
The most significant damage in Kyiv was at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site founded in 1051 and regarded as one of Ukraine’s most important religious and cultural landmarks. The Dormition Cathedral caught fire following what officials described as a direct Russian strike.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, writing on X: “A Russian strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra set the Dormition Cathedral on fire – a church whose history dates back to the 11th century. And this is one of Russia’s most serious crimes against Christian culture to date.”
Residents sought shelter underground as flames rose above the monastery during what officials described as Kyiv’s heaviest attack in two weeks. Drones and missiles struck apartment buildings and damaged electricity infrastructure, temporarily leaving about 140,000 residents without power.
Ukraine’s military said Russia launched 70 missiles and 611 drones overnight. Air defence systems intercepted 50 missiles and 582 drones, although officials acknowledged continued difficulty stopping ballistic missiles.
“Ballistic missiles remain a problem for us,” Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said on national television. “Of the 34 ballistic missiles launched, only 15 were shot down, although that is a strong result.”
Kyiv authorities said 4 people were killed and 30 injured in the capital.
The attack also caused casualties elsewhere. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said 4 emergency rescuers and a municipal official were killed in Kharkiv when a second strike hit the area. In Sumy, 3 people, including a child, were injured.
Metropolitan Epifaniy, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, condemned the monastery attack, saying: “What more must the Kremlin Antichrist do for the world to realise that decisive action must be taken so that the Russian terror against Ukraine and the very principles of peace come to an end?”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv would seek action through UNESCO and other international mechanisms in response to the damage inflicted on the monastery.
The strikes came a day after Zelenskyy said he had spoken with US President Donald Trump about efforts to end the war ahead of the G7 summit in France. Zelenskyy has proposed direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin involving the US and Europe, although the Kremlin has rejected the proposal.
Meanwhile, Russia reported that 3 people were killed and another 3 injured, including a 1-year-old child, in a Ukrainian drone strike on the city of Tula. Ukraine also said it had targeted 2 bridges linking the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with Russian-controlled territory as it sought to disrupt supply routes.
Despite renewed diplomatic contacts, progress towards a peace agreement remains limited as fighting continues across both countries.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
