On the night of Monday, June 15, Kyiv was subjected to a massive attack by Russian armed forces. As a result of drone and ballistic missile strikes, numerous fires broke out in the capital, and among the damaged objects was one of the main shrines of Ukraine — the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
As reported by RBK-Ukraine citing official sources, the fire occurred directly on the monastery grounds. In particular, the fire engulfed the roof of the Dormition Cathedral — the central temple of the Lavra, which is a symbol of Ukrainian Orthodoxy and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"A deliberate strike at the heart of the shrine"
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko was one of the first to report the incident on social media. Around two o'clock in the morning, he wrote: "Fire on the territory of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Fire on the roof of the Dormition Cathedral". Later, the head of the capital's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, confirmed the information and provided details.
"Fire of structures on the territory of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra is confirmed. Preliminarily — as a result of a direct hit," Tkachenko stated. He added that the fire caused significant damage, and Russian forces "deliberately struck the heart of one of the greatest Christian shrines".
At the moment, the assessment of the scale of damage is ongoing. Emergency response services are working according to safety protocols, localizing the fire and preventing the spread of the fire to neighboring buildings.
Massive attack on the capital
The strike on the Lavra was part of a broader attack on Kyiv. On the night of Monday, Russian drones and ballistic missiles attacked several districts of the city. Fires were recorded in both residential buildings and other civilian structures. Some buildings suffered destruction.
Medical brigades were sent to areas of direct hits and places where debris from shot-down targets fell. There is information about destruction in one of the dormitories. Among the affected districts are Obolon, Pechersk, and Podil.
Final data on the number of casualties and the full extent of the destruction will be published during the day. It is expected that information about the consequences of the June 15 attack will be expanded as the liquidation of the consequences is completed.
The attack on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra caused a wide resonance not only in Ukraine but also abroad. A strike on a religious object of great cultural and historical significance is considered an act of gross violation of international norms and the ethics of conducting hostilities.