Russian Strikes Set Fire to Kyiv's Historic Dormition Cathedral and Kill 11
Russian strikes on the night of 14-15 June killed at least 11 people across Ukraine, injured dozens and set fire to the Dormition Cathedral at the Pechersk Lavra UNESCO World Heritage site in Kyiv. [4] Four people were killed and 30 injured in Kyiv alone, including two children aged five and six. [3] The attacks also damaged multiple cultural, educational and commercial sites in the capital and other cities.
Overnight Russian Barrage Hits Kyiv and Other Cities
Russian forces carried out a large-scale combined attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities on the night of 14-15 June. [3] Explosions were heard in the capital, and fires broke out at sites of the attack. [3] As of now, four people have been reported killed and 30 injured in Kyiv, including two children aged five and six. [3] In Dnipro the National House of Organ and Chamber Music and its unique organ were damaged in the Russian attack. [3] One person was injured in Dnipro, a college building was destroyed and an industrial facility was damaged where a fire broke out. [3] Three people were injured in Sumy as a result of a nighttime Russian drone attack. [3] Residential high-rise buildings and the Palace of Children and Youth were also damaged in Sumy. [3] Emergency services are working at around 50 locations in Kyiv. [3]
Historic Dormition Cathedral Set Ablaze at Pechersk Lavra
Police seize warhead from Russian drone near a roadway in Kyiv. — Source: ukrainskapravda The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra came under attack when it was hit by a Russian Shahed drone. [3] A fire broke out on the roof of the Dormition Cathedral, covering an area of approximately 800 square metres. [3] There were no casualties at the site. [3] Sacred items, including icons, antimins and liturgical objects, were evacuated. [3] Experts are currently assessing the damage. [3] One of Ukraine's most important religious landmarks was hit in an overnight Russian attack on June 15. [1] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the cathedral and called for more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his attendance at the G7 summit in Paris. [1] Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has called for increased international pressure on Russia following missile strikes that killed nine people across several Ukrainian cities and caused a fire at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site. [5]
Cultural and Educational Landmarks Damaged in Kyiv
The Oleksandr Dovzhenko Film Studio was also damaged. [3] As a result of the Russian attack, the largest and oldest costume collection in Ukraine was destroyed. [3] The studio housed around 100,000 costumes and 3 million items of various clothing. [3] Other buildings and facilities at the studio were also damaged. [3] A fire also broke out at Mystetskyi Arsenal due to the Russian attack, engulfing around 1,000 square metres of the building. [3] A large part of the roof of the Old Arsenal's left wing was severely damaged. [3] The blast wave damaged the Museum of Books and Printing of Ukraine, shattering its windows. [3] No one was injured, and the museum's collection remains intact. [3] An educational facility belonging to A+ Education Holding – the Academy of Modern Education – located in the Comfort Town residential complex was also damaged by the explosion. [3] The academy is located in the Comfort Town residential complex. [3]
Infrastructure and Commercial Sites Destroyed
Russian forces destroyed Nova Poshta's largest innovative sorting terminal overnight. [3] This is a unique sorting centre – the first terminal in Ukraine equipped with the world's most advanced parcel-sorting technology from Vanderlande. [3] No employees were injured. [3] The destroyed terminal will be rebuilt. [3] Russian forces also damaged a business centre and destroyed a Rozetka branch. [3] There were no casualties. [3] One of Kyiv's best-known markets near the Pochaina metro station, formerly known as Petrivka, was also heavily damaged. [3] The attack destroyed pavilions, and entire rows of trading stalls were burned out. [3] Overall, the large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv caused damage and fires in nearly all districts of the city. [3]
Drone Debris Recovered by Kyiv Police
Kyiv police have seized the warhead of a Russian Geran-2 attack drone near a roadway in the Shevchenkivskyi district. [2] Following the large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of 14-15 June, a report was received on the 102 emergency line about the discovery of a hazardous object near a roadway at a busy transport interchange in the city centre. [2] Officers from the territorial police unit arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area where drone debris and a warhead was located. [2] An investigative team documented another crime committed by the Russian Federation, while explosives experts from the Kyiv police headquarters removed the munition for subsequent controlled disposal at a specialised site. [2] Early reports indicate that the recovered debris is the warhead of a Geran-2 unmanned aerial vehicle, which Russia launched at Ukraine during the combined attack. [2] The police remind the public: if you discover suspicious or explosive objects, do not approach them and immediately report them to the relevant services by calling 101, 102 or 112. [2]
Zelensky and International Leaders Call for Pressure on Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the cathedral and called for more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his attendance at the G7 summit in Paris. [1] Lithuania's president urged increased international pressure on Russia following the strikes. [5] Ukraine's National Commission for UNESCO called on the international community to prevent Russia from participating in the organisation's key bodies. [3] "This is not just a national shrine. It is a spiritual and cultural treasure of humanity, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a monument listed under the highest level of protection in accordance with the Hague Convention (Enhanced Protection). An attack on such sites constitutes one of the gravest crimes against global cultural heritage," the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience stated. [3]
What to watch next: Zelensky is expected to press for further sanctions on Russia at the G7 summit in Paris while Ukraine's UNESCO commission continues to seek restrictions on Russian participation in international heritage bodies.
