The Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a historic monastery complex, was engulfed in flames following a massive Russian air raid on the Ukrainian capital. The attack, which occurred overnight, killed at least five people and injured six others, according to local officials.
Details of the Attack
The strikes were part of a broader wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine, with damage reports continuing into Monday morning. Mayor Vitali Klitschko and military administrator Tymur Tkachenko confirmed that houses, cars, and a high-rise apartment building caught fire, leaving 140,000 residents without electricity in parts of Kyiv.
Agence France-Presse reported that a major missile attack was underway, with projectiles intercepted in the sky and glowing debris falling onto the city. Ukraine's air force warned of ongoing risks from missiles and drones into Monday.
Ukrainian Response
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted images of the burning monastery, stating, "A brutal assault on our people and our heritage. This is the true face of Russia's Orthodox values." The attack came as Russian forces intensified strikes across the country.
On Sunday, regions including Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy were targeted. Police reported two deaths and four injuries in Sumy. In Zaporizhzhia, a 73-year-old woman died when a drone struck her car, and three other women and an elderly man were injured. A baby was hurt in a drone strike on Kharkiv city.
Ukraine's Retaliatory Strikes
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine struck an oil facility in Russia's Yaroslavl region and the Azot explosives plant in the Tula region. He said, "Ukraine is carrying out its plan of long-range sanctions against Russia and the assigned tasks regarding mid-range strikes in response to Russia's refusal to end this war." Ukrainian forces also targeted Russian military logistics in occupied territories.
Russian officials confirmed the attacks. Governor Mikhail Yevryaev of Yaroslavl reported a massive Ukrainian drone attack that hit fuel storage facilities, causing a large fire and one death. In Oryol, south of Moscow, Ukrainian drones struck an apartment building, killing one and injuring nine. A drone strike also ignited a sea terminal in the port of Temryuk, according to Russian state media.
Ukraine's military and SBU security service said Saturday that drones hit several targets, including an oil and gas terminal in the Krasnodar region and an oil processing facility in the Volgograd region.
Diplomatic Developments
Zelenskyy spoke with former U.S. President Donald Trump about ending the war, ahead of the G7 meeting in France. He said, "I updated the president on the latest developments on the battlefield and how our position has strengthened. We have some good ideas that could help bring peace closer." Trump also reportedly spoke with Vladimir Putin and offered to help end the conflict, according to Russia's Tass news agency.
