Deadly overnight missile and drone strikes have killed at least 11 people across Ukraine and triggered a major fire at a historic religious site in the capital, according to a report by Channels Television, citing AFP.
The assault hit parts of Kyiv, where a blaze broke out on the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO-listed Orthodox complex, damaging the roof of the Dormition Cathedral.
Ukrainian authorities said five people were killed and 34 injured in Kyiv alone, as air raid alerts sounded through the night and residents sought shelter amid sustained bombardment.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, describing damage to the monastery as an assault on cultural and religious heritage. He said the site holds deep significance for Orthodox believers across the region.
Ukraine’s military reported that Russia launched around 70 missiles and 611 drones in the attack, claiming most were intercepted. Officials said Kyiv remained the primary target of the barrage.
Moscow said it carried out a “massive strike” on military infrastructure across Ukraine and denied targeting the monastery, suggesting the damage may have been caused by debris from intercepted air defence systems.
Russian authorities insisted the operation focused on military sites, while Ukrainian officials maintained that drones deliberately struck the monastery quarter.
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the oldest monastic complexes in Eastern Europe, with origins dating back to the 11th century. The Dormition Cathedral, which caught fire, had previously been destroyed during World War II and rebuilt in the 1990s.
The wider wave of attacks also caused casualties in other regions, with additional deaths reported in Kharkiv and further cross-border drone activity reported in Russia.
The conflict, now in its fourth year since the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine in 2022, continues to see intensified aerial strikes from both sides, with diplomatic efforts still stalled.
