A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack struck Kyiv early June 15, damaging the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery complex and killing at least five people in the Ukrainian capital, Ukrainian officials said.
According to the Kyiv Independent, authorities said the overnight barrage – one of the largest attacks on Kyiv in recent months – also wounded at least 35 people, including a pregnant woman and two children. Residential buildings, cultural sites, businesses, and infrastructure were damaged across the city.
Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone struck the roof of the Dormition Cathedral, the main church of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the country's most significant religious landmarks. Firefighters contained the blaze, preventing major structural damage to the cathedral, officials said.
Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, said the strike set fire to "one of the holiest places in the Christian world."
President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the monastery later June 15 and vowed Ukraine would respond to the attack.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched more than 600 drones along with dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles overnight. Air defense systems intercepted most of the incoming weapons, including all 30 cruise missiles, the military said.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said more than 50 locations across the capital sustained damage. Officials reported strikes on apartment buildings, warehouses, commercial properties, and power infrastructure, leaving about 140,000 without electricity.
The attack also damaged other cultural institutions, including Kyiv's Mystetskyi Arsenal museum and the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio, according to Ukrainian officials.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine would seek action through UNESCO and other international organizations over the damage to cultural and religious sites.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the strike, saying there was no justification for attacks on cultural heritage sites.
Russia's Defense Ministry denied deliberately targeting the monastery and said the damage was caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile.
The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra was founded in the 11th century. Known as the Monastery of the Caves, the complex has endured centuries of invasions, wars, and reconstruction and is considered a symbol of Ukrainian Christianity and national heritage.
The strike came as Russia continued its campaign of long-range attacks across Ukraine. Ukrainian officials also reported casualties and damage in the regions of Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipro, and Kyiv Oblast.
Russian forces have maintained an intensified campaign of strikes on Ukrainian cities, contributing to record civilian casualties even as Ukrainian leaders and international partners push for ceasefires and renewed peace negotiations, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
The Washington-based think tank said Russia has increased production of advanced missiles and drones, enabling large-scale strikes on cities far from the front lines. The United Nations reported that at least 274 civilians were killed and more than 1,700 injured in May, the highest monthly toll since 2022.