Ukraine’s historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery set on fire in major Russian attack

By Victoria Butenko, Rhea Mogul, Charlotte Reck, CNN

Kyiv (CNN) — A prominent Ukrainian monastery complex in the heart of Kyiv was set on fire during a massive Russian attack overnight into Monday that killed at least five people and wounded more than two dozen in the capital, according to local authorities.

Images showed flames billowing from the UNESCO-listed Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which traces its roots back almost 1,000 years, and firefighters beneath the towers and domes of its Dormition Cathedral battling to control the blaze.

A CNN journalist reported hearing several explosions during the overnight attack, in which Russia launched 611 long-range strike drones and 70 missiles, according to Ukraine’s air force.

Religious relics and sacred items were removed from the cathedral, officials said. The full extent of the damage to the structure is still unknown.

Firefighters worked overnight and into the morning to extinguish the fire, which was out by midday Monday local time.

Ukraine’s emergency services said the blaze affected 800 square meters of the roof of the Dormition Cathedral and released images that showed damage to the building.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine asked for “prayers for the salvation of the shrine from destruction.” The primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine added, “Another Russian crime against humanity, against history, against Christianity.”

A fire also broke out in the building of the National Cultural, Art and Museum Complex, covering an area of 1,000 square meters, according to Ukraine’s emergency services.

At least five people were killed and more than 30 were wounded in the attack on the city, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

The attack left about 140,000 households in the northern part of Kyiv without electricity, according to Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.

Across Ukraine in total, at least 11 people were killed in the Russian bombardment.

In a statement Monday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had carried out strikes on “targets within the defense-industrial complex in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the international community to provide a swift and meaningful response ahead of the Group of Seven summit in Évian, France.

“This is how Russia shows the world its intention to continue the war,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X following the attack.

“It is very important that there be a response from the G7 countries … and that this response be decisive and substantive: more pressure on the aggressor and more support for Ukraine’s air defense,” he added.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen addressed the issue in an X post shortly afterward, condemning Russia’s “heavy attacks” and promising a dialogue among leaders.

“Today, G7 leaders meet in Évian. We will discuss the next steps to increase pressure on Russia, bring (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to the negotiating table, and end this senseless killing,” she wrote.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting following the latest attack.

‘Masterpiece of Ukrainian art’

The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In 2023, it was added to the World Heritage in Danger list “due to the threat of destruction the Russian offensive poses.”

UNESCO condemned the attack in a statement on X Monday.

“Damage to such institutions deprives communities of access to culture, education, and shared spaces that are essential for recovery and social cohesion,” the organization said.

Founded in the 11th century and comprising a complex network of surface and underground churches, it is a major spiritual and cultural center for many Ukrainians and an important pilgrimage site. In its listing, UNESCO describes the complex as a “masterpiece of Ukrainian art.”

Over centuries, relics of saints have been buried in the caves, according to UNESCO.

Zelensky slammed the attack as “one of Russia’s most serious crimes against Christian culture to date.”

Since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has destroyed 338,294 civilian infrastructure sites, according to Deputy Chief of Staff Olena Kovalska.

Counted among those damaged are thousands of hospitals and education providers, almost 1,000 cultural buildings and hundreds of places of worship.

Last month saw the highest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine since April 2022, according to the United Nations’ Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

The attack comes after Zelensky said he and US President Donald Trump discussed efforts to bring an end to the war, which Moscow started more than four years ago. Trump also spoke with Putin on Sunday, according to the Kremlin.

“All Ukrainians have one wish for President Trump: that we may finally achieve peace, and achieve this success together with the US and all our partners,” Zelensky wrote Sunday on X.

Svitlana Vlasova contributed reporting.

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