Dormition Cathedral bombed as Ukraine strikes St. Petersburg port

A Russian drone strike on June 15, 2026 set fire to the roof of the Dormition Cathedral, a UNESCO‑listed shrine within Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra complex. Firefighters halted the blaze, but the attack damaged the historic structure and officials estimate reconstruction will cost about €10 million. The bombing was widely condemned as a sacrilegious act against a cultural and religious landmark.

In a separate escalation, Ukrainian drones hit the St. Petersburg oil terminal and the nearby Kronstadt naval base, igniting parts of the port during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The strike is part of a 40‑day Ukrainian campaign aimed at pressuring Russia by targeting strategic infrastructure deep inside its territory and demonstrates Kyiv’s expanding long‑range drone capability.