Zelensky urges G7 action after Russian strike damages Kyiv UNESCO cathedral

Russian missile salvos on the night of Sunday‑Monday hit several Ukrainian cities, killing at least eleven people and setting fire to the Dormition Cathedral at the UNESCO‑listed Kyiv‑Pechersk Lavra. Five rescuers were killed while fighting the blaze and dozens more were injured; about 140,000 residents in Kyiv’s north lost electricity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as “an act of barbarism” and appealed to the three‑day G7 summit in Evian, France, for a decisive response and stronger air‑defence support. He wrote on X, “We have discussed measures that could help establish peace immediately,” and said he had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7, but received no reply.

The strike occurs as the United States and Iran negotiate a separate agreement that could open a path to broader peace talks. U.S. President Donald Trump is attending the G7, while the Kremlin says its recent call with Washington focused on Iran negotiations. UNESCO has condemned the damage to the cathedral and warned of further risks to the historic site.