Key facts
- Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack across Ukraine overnight.
- The 11th-century Dormition Cathedral in Kyiv was hit and damaged.
- The Dormition Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- The Dormition Cathedral is part of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery complex.
- Ukrainian officials condemned the strikes as war crimes and attacks on heritage and Christianity.
- Ukraine faces a critical shortage of Patriot missiles.
- Russia has intensified ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine.
- Ukraine damaged two bridges linking Kherson with Crimea in a drone attack.
- Traffic was suspended on the damaged Kherson-Crimea bridges.
- Drone debris caused a fire at an oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar region.
- A Russian drone strike killed 10 rabbits and injured 15 at a Kharkiv zoo.
- An elephant at the Kharkiv zoo suffered stress from the drone strike.
Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack across Ukraine overnight, targeting significant cultural and religious sites. The 11th-century Dormition Cathedral, located within the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery complex and a UNESCO World Heritage site, sustained damage and was seen in flames. Ukrainian officials condemned the strikes, labeling them war crimes and attacks on heritage and Christianity. This incident recalls past destruction of the monastery.
In parallel, Ukraine is grappling with a critical shortage of Patriot missiles as Russia intensifies its ballistic missile attacks. Kyiv is actively seeking aging interceptors, exploring exchanges of drone expertise for missiles, and working towards developing its own air defense system to counter the threat.
Separately, Ukraine conducted a drone attack that damaged two bridges connecting Russian-held Kherson with Crimea, leading to the suspension of traffic. In another incident, debris from a Russian drone caused a fire at an oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar region, resulting in road closures.
Further afield, a Russian drone strike impacted a zoo in Kharkiv, killing 10 rabbits and injuring 15. An elephant at the zoo experienced stress due to the impact, and enclosures were damaged. Prosecutors have opened an investigation into this incident as a potential war crime.