Key facts
- The Dormition Cathedral at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra was damaged by a strike.
- Restoration efforts for the damaged monastery are expected to take approximately two years.
- Over 80% of the cathedral's roof sustained damage.
- The cost of the damage to the complex exceeds 500 million hryvnias ($11.2 million).
- Russia denied responsibility for the strike, blaming a U.S. Patriot missile.
Repairs to the nearly 1,000-year-old Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, damaged by what Ukraine described as a deliberate Russian strike, could take approximately two years, an official stated. The attack on the UNESCO World Heritage site's Dormition Cathedral reportedly damaged over 80% of its roof, with the total cost of damage to the complex exceeding 500 million hryvnias ($11.2 million).
Russia has denied striking the monastery, asserting that a U.S.-made Patriot air defense missile caused the damage. Firefighters managed to prevent the blaze from spreading inside the cathedral, and emergency services are working to secure the structure and remove damaged components. Workers have begun covering the damaged roof sections and securing windows to protect the interior. The broader attack in the capital resulted in five deaths and 44 injuries, with emergency services using significant water resources to combat fires.
Workers covered the missing parts of the cathedral's roof with panels on Tuesday, and secured the windows amid concerns for the fragile frescoes and religious artefacts inside.