Kyiv family loses papal rosary and cultural treasures in Russian airstrike

A Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv on July 3 caused a fire that destroyed the apartment of cultural manager Iryna Plekhova and her husband Oleg Chorny. The strike killed 30 people and razed years‑long collections, including around 5,000 old books, a family icon from World War II, DVDs of historic footage, and a rosary gifted by Pope Francis. Plekhova said, “We don’t have anything left.” The rosary, brought to Ukraine by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, was found melted into a cabinet after the blast. The attack is described as one of the worst on the Ukrainian capital in more than four years and underscores ongoing damage to Ukraine’s cultural heritage during the war.

The loss follows earlier attacks on cultural sites, such as Kyiv’s Dormition Cathedral, which officials say aim to erase Ukrainian cultural identity. Russian officials claim they target only war‑related facilities.