A new wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight killed several people and sparked a fire at the main church of the UNESCO-protected Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery complex in Kiev, Ukrainian officials said early on Monday.
Tymur Tkachenko, the military governor of the capital, said the attack caused serious damage on the grounds of the historic monastery, which is owned by the Ukrainian state. Images circulating on social media appeared to show flames on the roof of the Dormition Cathedral, the complex's main church.
Ukrainian authorities said there were at least nine deaths and dozens of injuries nationwide. Media reports, citing initial findings, said the Russian attackers used more than 50 missiles and around 500 drones.
During Russian strikes on the capital, two dozen explosions, believed to be caused by air defence systems, were heard in the city centre, according to a dpa correspondent.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said strikes were recorded in three districts of the capital, injuring at least 23 people and causing power outages and fires. Around 30 vehicles were reported to have caught fire. Tkachenko said more than 40 strikes were recorded in the capital, adding later that four people had been killed so far.
Attacks reported in Kharkiv and Dnipro
Heavy shelling was also reported from other regions of Ukraine. In Kharkiv, five emergency responders were killed and four other people injured in the airstrikes, the Kyiv Independent reported, citing Governor Oleh Syniehubov. In Dnipro, at least one person was injured, the report said.
None of the reports could initially be independently verified.
The centuries-old Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery is home to a network of underground caves containing the mummified remains of Orthodox monks and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. It remained unclear whether the world-famous pilgrimage site caught fire due to a direct Russian strike or from falling debris after air defence systems were deployed.
The so-called lower section continues to be used by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church despite pressure from the state. Until Russia's 2022 invasion, the church regarded itself as part of the Moscow Patriarchate, but it has since severed ties with Moscow.
Three people killed in Russia overnight
According to the governor of Russia's Tula region, Dmitry Milyaev, three people were killed overnight as a result of Ukrainian drone strikes. Three others were injured, he said on Telegram.
The Moscow city administration said several incoming drones were shot down. No information was initially given on possible damage or casualties.
Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia’s invasion for more than four years and is subjected to near-daily air attacks. Both sides increasingly rely on drone strikes, which are relatively simple and inexpensive to deploy for their respective armed forces.
