Russian forces launched a large-scale overnight missile and drone assault on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on June 15, striking residential areas, infrastructure, and the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra complex — one of the country’s most significant religious and cultural heritage sites.

Ukrainian officials said at least five people were killed and 29 others injured in the capital, including a pregnant woman and two children aged five and six. Several multi-storey residential buildings were also damaged or destroyed across multiple districts of the city.

One of the most severe strikes hit the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site and centuries-old monastery complex that houses some of Ukraine’s most important Orthodox Christian shrines and relics.

The Dormition Cathedral, originally built in the 11th century, caught fire following the strike, according to Ukrainian religious officials. It marks the second time the site has been hit since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, and one of the rare instances of damage to the complex since World War II.

Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, described the burning cathedral as an attack on “one of the holiest places in the Christian world,” calling it “another Russian crime against humanity, against history, against Christianity.”

Emergency efforts were launched to evacuate religious icons, manuscripts, and cultural artifacts from the site. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether any relics were destroyed.

Kyiv officials reported that more than 50 locations across the city were hit during the overnight attack. Residential buildings in districts including Obolon, Solomianskyi, Pechersk, Podil, and Shevchenkivskyi were struck, with fires and structural collapses reported in multiple high-rise apartments.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least 140,000 residents lost electricity due to damage to infrastructure, while dozens of car fires burned across the city. Warehouses, markets, commercial buildings, and power lines were also affected.

Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko described the assault as an attack by “the barbarians of the 21st century,” vowing that the events would be remembered.

Several cultural and civilian institutions were also hit, including the Mystetskyi Arsenal museum complex, which was set on fire after being struck by a drone. The Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio was also damaged, with officials reporting the destruction of its extensive costume archive.

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy said the studio housed tens of thousands of costumes and millions of clothing items, though the full extent of the losses remains unclear.

A major logistics hub for the Nova Poshta postal service was also struck, though no casualties were reported among employees.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched a massive wave of weapons overnight, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and hundreds of drones. While many were intercepted, officials said dozens of projectiles still reached targets across the country.

Outside Kyiv, five emergency workers were killed in Kharkiv, while injuries were reported in Sumy and Dnipro. Infrastructure, residential buildings, and cultural sites were also damaged in multiple regions.

Ukrainian officials and international representatives strongly condemned the attack, particularly the strike on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for urgent international action, saying Ukraine would seek responses through UNESCO and other global mechanisms.

The European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine also condemned the strike on what she described as “one of the holiest places in Eastern Christianity,” urging the international community not to ignore the escalation.

The Russian Defense Ministry denied deliberately targeting the Lavra, instead claiming the damage was caused by a malfunctioning air defense interceptor missile.

Moscow has repeatedly rejected accusations of intentionally striking civilian and cultural infrastructure, despite ongoing reports of damage to hospitals, museums, and residential areas throughout the war.

The attack comes amid continued rejection of ceasefire proposals by Russian President Vladimir Putin, as fighting intensifies along multiple frontlines. Ukrainian officials argue that Moscow is increasingly relying on large-scale strikes against civilian infrastructure as the war continues.

The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, already damaged earlier in the conflict, remains under UNESCO protection and continues to be closely monitored amid ongoing hostilities. (ILKHA)