Lauge Risom Koch 
Russia has denied striking Kyiv’s historic Pechersk Lavra monastery during a major attack on the capital, claiming the damage was caused by a Patriot air defense missile.
Russia has denied allegations that it targeted the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery during a major overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital, claiming the damage was caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile instead.
Moscow’s response
According to Digi24, citing Reuters and News.ro, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its strikes targeted drone-production facilities and not civilian infrastructure.
“The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation do not plan or carry out attacks against civilian infrastructure,” the ministry said.
Russian officials claimed the monastery was hit by a US-made Patriot missile and suggested the incident may have resulted from the use of expired Western-supplied missiles.
Damage dispute
The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, caught fire during what Reuters described as the largest Russian attack on Kyiv in two weeks.
Ukraine and several Western countries accused Russia of damaging the monastery, while Moscow rejected the allegation and blamed Ukrainian air defenses, reported News.ro.
“According to confirmed reports, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra building complex was hit by a missile from the American Patriot air defense system. A possible reason for the malfunction of this system could be the fact that Western countries supplied the Kiev regime with expired missiles,” stated the ministry.
Sources: Digi24, Reuters, News.ro
