Priests at one of Europe’s holiest Christian sites in Kyiv, Ukraine, scrambled to remove religious artifacts after Russian drone attacks set the structure ablaze on Sunday night. The attack marks the second time this year the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves) suffered damage in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. In a January attack, drones shattered windows and caused structural damage to the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Sunday’s attacks killed at least 11 and injured dozens more.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks as an act of “Russian barbarism,” and framed it in religious terms. “This strike on the Lavra is an attack on the Christian community and on the cultural heritage of humanity,” he wrote.
Other world leaders joined Zelensky in decrying the latest round of Russian aggression against Kyiv. According to France’s President Emmanuel Macron, “This attack only strengthens our determination to do everything, with our allies and partners, to work toward a ceasefire that Russia continues to obstinately refuse, and then toward peace.”
The church dates to the 11th century CE and has been a vital center of activity for the Eastern Orthodox Church. It houses several churches and is a pilgrimage site for many Orthodox Christians.
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