Russian attack leaves first wartime damage at Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra since WWII

Buildings of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were damaged during a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine's capital on the night of 23-24 January.

Source: Maksym Ostapenko, Director General of the reserve, in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine

Quote: "For the first time since World War II, a facility belonging to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra has been struck as a result of military action. Each time, Moscow has been behind this – as in 1918; as when, on orders from Moscow, the Dormition Cathedral was blown up in 1941; and now, again on orders from Moscow, Shahed drones and missiles are flying against Kyiv and causing damage, including now to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra."

Details: Damage was recorded to Building No. 66 – the entrance to the Far Caves complex – and Building No. 67, the Annunciation (Annunciation Conception) Church.

Ostapenko said that the blast wave shattered some windows and doors, and fragments of plasterwork were damaged in multiple places.

In the meantime, he said the caves themselves were not affected.

He added that this is the first time the Lavra has suffered direct damage from an aerial explosion. Previously, there had only been damage from shrapnel or fragments of downed objects.

Ostapenko also told the news agency that due to power outages, a seismic sensor did not activate, making it impossible to determine the full impact of the blast on the site.

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