UNESCO-listed Dormition Cathedral in Kyiv set ablaze by Russian drones, at least 11 dead in strikes on Ukraine

The attack

On the night of Sunday to Monday, Russian drones targeted Kyiv, striking the UNESCO-listed Pechersk Lavra complex. The Dormition Cathedral caught fire, with flames spreading over 800 m². The facade was torn open and the roof partially destroyed. Journalists reported blinding light in the sky as residents fled for shelter. At least 11 people were killed in a series of strikes across Ukraine, including in Kharkiv.

“Two Russian drones deliberately attacked this part of the city where the Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal are.”

Mutual accusations

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) recovered debris from a Russian Geran-2 drone at the impact site. President Zelensky visited the scene and called on G7 leaders meeting in France for a "decisive and substantial response." Moscow denied targeting the cathedral, insisting it was hit by a Ukrainian Patriot missile. The Russian Defense Ministry said the cathedral holds great religious significance for Russia.

“These strikes demonstrate Russia's refusal to engage in negotiations.”

International condemnation

UNESCO condemned the attack on the World Heritage site. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot compared the strike to the bombing of Notre-Dame Cathedral.

“For us, it is the equivalent of the bombing of Notre-Dame.”

Metropolitan Epiphane of Kyiv, primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, called the attack a crime against humanity.

“This is a crime against humanity, history, and Christianity.”

The cathedral, dating from the 11th century, is a central symbol of Orthodox Christianity and, since Ukraine's autocephaly, a key site of Ukrainian religious identity.

On the ground in Kyiv

Residents expressed shock but resilience. A museum worker, Katarina, 31, said she had not slept but was still alive. She noted that Russia had previously bombed her school and university. A colleague added that attacking religious sites showed "they really have no limits."

What next?

Zelensky's call for more air defense support and pressure on Russia underscored the ongoing vulnerability of Ukrainian cities. The G7 summit now faced renewed urgency to respond to the escalation.