Russian missile strike damages Kyiv's historic Lavra monastery, killing at least four

A large‑scale Russian missile and drone barrage hit Ukraine’s capital on the night of 15 June, using more than 70 missiles and over 600 drones. The attack set fire to the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage monastery founded in 1051 and one of Eastern Orthodoxy’s holiest sites. Roughly 800 sq m of the cathedral roof were destroyed and icons were rescued from the blaze.

Ukrainian officials reported at least four civilian deaths and more than a dozen injuries in Kyiv, while five emergency‑service rescuers were killed and five injured in Kharkiv during firefighting efforts. Damage also spread to several residential districts of the capital.

President Volodymyr Zelensky labeled the strike “one of the gravest crimes against Christian culture,” urging G7 leaders to boost military and anti‑air support. Foreign ministers from Estonia and France condemned the attack, comparing it to damage to historic monuments such as Notre‑Dame.

Ukrainian forces said most incoming missiles were intercepted, but the overall casualty toll in the Kyiv area reached at least nine.