Kathrine Frich
A night of intense air attacks over Kyiv has left visible scars on one of the city’s most iconic sites.
Ukrainian officials say the damage goes beyond immediate destruction, touching a place of deep historical and cultural importance.
Night of strikes
Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv overnight on Saturday damaged buildings at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture.
The complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“On the night of January 24, sites in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, were damaged following a massive attack with Russian missiles and drones on Kyiv,” the ministry said in a statement, as reported by AFP and cited by Agerpres.
The strikes were part of a broader wave of attacks on the Ukrainian capital.
Extent of damage
According to the ministry, the facade, doors and windows of two buildings within the monastery complex were hit. One of the affected structures is a church.
Officials said a technical inspection will be carried out to “evaluate their structures” and assess the full extent of the damage.
The Lavra, known for its golden domes and ancient cave system, is among Ukraine’s most significant religious and cultural landmarks.
Cultural toll
The Ministry of Culture stressed that the monastery damage is part of a wider pattern.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, “1,640 cultural monuments and 2,446 cultural infrastructure sites have been damaged,” it said.
Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly accused Russia of destroying or damaging heritage sites during the war.
Moscow denies deliberately targeting civilian or cultural locations.
A site under scrutiny
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra has been at the center of controversy in recent years.
Ukrainian authorities previously expelled monks from the complex, accusing them of maintaining ties to Moscow.
The monastery’s abbot was placed under house arrest, briefly jailed, and later released on bail, according to earlier reporting.
These disputes have added political sensitivity to any damage inflicted on the site.
Deadly timing
Saturday night’s airstrikes killed at least one person and injured 27 others, Ukrainian officials said.
The attacks came as Ukrainian, Russian and American delegations were meeting in Abu Dhabi for talks aimed at ending the war.
The timing of the strikes has drawn criticism from Kyiv, which says Russia continues military pressure even as diplomatic efforts continue.
Sources: AFP, Agerpres, Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, Digi24.
