Masterpiece of Kyiv modernism: Railway Market destroyed in Russian attack on Kyiv

A fire broke out in the former Railway Market building, a masterpiece of Kyiv modernist architecture near the Central Railway Station, during Russia's large-scale drone attack on Kyiv on the morning of 23 September.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia (Life)

Details: Footage being shared by local Telegram channels shows the building engulfed by a huge fire.

The former Railway Market at 1 Mokra Street in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district is an example of 20th-century Kyiv modernism. It was built in 1973 to a design by modernist architects Alla Anishchenko and Nataliia Сhmutina. The building's distinctive rounded shape is formed by concrete elements with radial cables supporting the roof. The premises cover an area of 3,807 sq m, and the building has two floors, a basement and a storage area. The market was designed to accommodate 140 retail units.

In the late 1980s, the building housed the Okean shop, while in the 1990s it was occupied by the Kyiv Universal Exchange. Later, a Velyka Kyshenia supermarket was there for many years before it closed in 2021. That same year, there were reports of plans to demolish the building for redevelopment, but architects both in and beyond Ukraine raised concerns due to the uniqueness of the site, and following a public outcry, the plans were dropped.

The consequences of the attack, including any casualties and the extent of the damage to the building, are being confirmed.

Background: Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has reported that a drone struck a nine-storey non-residential building at third-floor level in the Solomianskyi district. In the Holosiivskyi district, a drone crashed onto the roof of a non-residential building, while another crashed in the grounds of a transport infrastructure facility. Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) said no damage was caused to the Central Railway Station building itself.

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