Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Russia’s latest large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine, describing a strike on the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery complex as “an attack on the Christian community and humanity’s cultural heritage.”
In a statement posted on social media, Zelensky said Russia launched more than 60 missiles toward the Ukrainian capital overnight. Overall, Moscow used 70 missiles and 611 drones in attacks across Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president said preliminary reports indicate that four people were killed and 28 injured in Kyiv.
Zelensky said a Russian strike caused a fire at the Dormition Cathedral within the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine’s most significant religious sites and a UNESCO-listed monument dating back to the 11th century.
“The Russian strike on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra caused a fire in the Dormition Cathedral – a church whose history dates back to the 11th century. This is one of the most serious crimes committed by Russia against Christian culture to date,” Zelensky stated.
Emergency crews have since extinguished the fire on the cathedral’s roof, he added.
The Ukrainian leader also reported that Russian forces struck rescuers in Kharkiv while they were responding to a previous attack and extinguishing a fire at an industrial facility. Zelensky claimed that five people were killed and nine wounded in the strike.
Beyond Kyiv and Kharkiv, Russian attacks also targeted the Dnipro, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Mykolaiv regions.
Zelensky argued that the attacks demonstrate Moscow’s intention to continue the war and called on leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), who are gathering for a summit, to respond decisively.
“It is extremely important that the G7 countries provide a strong and substantive response – greater pressure on the aggressor and increased support for Ukraine’s air defense, particularly anti-ballistic capabilities,” he said.
The Ukrainian president stressed that stronger international cooperation is needed to end the war and protect civilians from Russian attacks.
“It is important that the world does not remain silent in response to this latest act of Russian barbarism. The strike on the Lavra is an attack on the Christian community and the cultural heritage of humanity. There can be no justification for this or any similar Russian attack. More cooperation is needed to stop Russia’s war and stronger protection is needed to save lives,” Zelensky said.
Header image: Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images
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