---
title: "“Every strike hits home”: windows blown out in the consistory of the Saint Sophia of Kyiv Reserve after the attack on Kyiv"
description: "Nelia Kukovalska, the general director of the Saint Sophia of Kyiv Reserve, reported that the shockwave from a Russian strike blew out windows in the 18th–19th-century consistory. There are no casualties, the cathedral is visually undamaged, but a detailed inspection will be carried out."
date: 2026-09-04T14:40:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/saint-sophia-of-kyiv-reserve-damaged-in-russian-attack
tags: [sophia-kyiv, kyiv-attack, unesco, cultural-heritage, russia-ukraine-war]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# “Every strike hits home”: windows blown out in the consistory of the Saint Sophia of Kyiv Reserve after the attack on Kyiv

![Gilded and green domes of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv against the sky — the Saint Sophia Kyiv reserve damaged after the shelling](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/04/sofiya-kievskaya-postradal-v-ataka-na-kiev/sofiya-kievskaya-postradal-v-ataka-na-kiev-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The shockwave from a Russian strike on the SBU building blew out windows in the consistory of the Saint Sophia of Kyiv Reserve (18th–19th centuries, 24 Volodymyrska Street); the glass vestibule was completely shattered.
- No casualties: on the day of the attack, staff were sent home, and the minimum number of people were on the territory.
- The Saint Sophia Cathedral itself is visually undamaged; final conclusions will be drawn after a detailed inspection; UNESCO has been informed about the incident.
- The ceremony of presenting credentials by ambassadors of four countries with the participation of the President of Ukraine was cancelled.

The Saint Sophia of Kyiv National Reserve sustained damage as a result of a Russian attack on the capital. This was stated in an exclusive comment to Wave RBC.UA by Nelia Kukovalska, the reserve's general director. According to her, the shockwave from the strike on the building of the Security Service of Ukraine blew out numerous windows in the historic consistory — an 18th–19th-century building facing Volodymyrska Street (24 Volodymyrska Street).

### What was damaged in the reserve

As Kukovalska clarified, the glass vestibule was completely shattered — it “shattered entirely inside.” At the same time, the reserve's director emphasized that the damage is not yet considered critical: in the near term, funds need to be found to replace the frames and windows, as winter is approaching. “Right now, upon arrival, the police inspection, we are starting to board them up. We have something to board them up with for now, but we will think about where to get the money,” she noted.

### No casualties: how the evacuation went

On the day of the attack, the minimum number of people were on the reserve's territory — staff had been sent home, so no one was injured as a result of the damage. Kukovalska noted with gratitude: “Thank God, no people were hurt and Saint Sophia was not damaged.” At the same time, she acknowledged that every shelling of the capital's center causes her particular concern due to the threat to the historic monument: “You can't imagine, every strike — it's all right here on my heart. I apologize for the emotions, but that's how it is now.”

### The cancelled ceremony: credentials of ambassadors

On that same day, an event with the participation of the President of Ukraine was to take place on the reserve's territory — the presentation of credentials by ambassadors of four countries. According to Kukovalska, the day before, the diplomats were given a tour of the complex, and after the attack the planned visit by the head of state was cancelled. The presentation of credentials on the reserve's territory, she said, became a tradition during the full-scale war: before the ceremony, diplomats are introduced to the history of Ukraine and the sights of the complex.

### The condition of the cathedral itself and the role of UNESCO

According to a preliminary visual assessment, the Saint Sophia Cathedral itself sustained no visible damage, however, final conclusions will be drawn only after a detailed inspection, which is planned for the near future. “Visually, nothing is visible for now. Perhaps there are some small cracks, but I don't want to say. I think everything will be fine there,” said the director. She also reported that UNESCO has already been informed about what happened, where they are “now thinking about support.” Kukovalska reminded that the site is under the organization's special attention, and this year at the session of the World Heritage Committee its status was reaffirmed.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Windows blown out, glass vestibule shattered: the Saint Sophia of Kyiv Reserve was damaged as a result of a Russian attack](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/culture/vibilo-vikna-rozletivsya-sklyaniy-tambur-1788532641.html) - Первичный источник эксклюзивного комментария Н. Куковальской: повреждена консистория (Владимирская, 24), разлетелся стеклянный тамбур, пострадавших нет, собор визуально не повреждён, отменена церемония с послами, проинформировано ЮНЕСКО.
- [Windows blown out. The Saint Sophia of Kyiv National Reserve was damaged as a result of a Russian strike](https://nv.ua/kultura/ataka-na-kiev-4-sentyabrya-iz-za-udara-bespilotnika-rf-postradal-zapovednik-sofiya-kievskaya-50638640.html) - Подтверждает выбитые окна и дату атаки 4 сентября; указывает на удар беспилотника РФ, что согласуется с версией о взрывной волне от удара по зданию СБУ.
- [Russians caused damage to the Saint Sophia of Kyiv Reserve](https://www.unian.net/war/rossiyane-nanesli-ushcherb-zapovedniku-sofiya-kievskaya-novosti-kieva-13490469.html) - Независимое подтверждение факта ущерба заповеднику в результате российской атаки на Киев.
- [Ministry of Culture did not approve free entry to the Saint Sophia Reserve on Museum Day, - former director ...](https://ukranews.com/news/1084157-minkult-ne-pogodiv-bezkoshtovnij-vhid-do-sofijskogo-zapovidnika-v-den-muzeyiv) - Материал посвящён иному вопросу (бесплатный вход в день музеев) и не содержит сведений об ущербе от атаки; для данной новости не является подтверждающим источником.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What exactly was damaged in the Saint Sophia of Kyiv Reserve?
**A:** The shockwave from the strike on the building of the Security Service of Ukraine blew out numerous windows in the consistory — a historic 18th–19th-century building at 24 Volodymyrska Street — and completely shattered the glass vestibule. The damage is not considered critical.

### Q: Are there any casualties among people?
**A:** No. On the day of the attack, staff were sent home, the minimum number of people were on the reserve's territory, so no one was injured.

### Q: Is the Saint Sophia Cathedral itself damaged?
**A:** According to a preliminary visual assessment, the cathedral sustained no visible damage. Final conclusions will be drawn after a detailed inspection, which is planned for the near future.

### Q: What is known about UNESCO's reaction?
**A:** UNESCO has already been informed about the incident, and the organization is “thinking about support.” Kukovalska reminded that the site is under UNESCO's special attention, and this year at the session of the World Heritage Committee its status was reaffirmed.