Russia conducted a nighttime attack on Ukraine’s major cities, launching numerous drones and missiles that resulted in at least 11 fatalities and significant damage to a prominent religious site, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials on Monday. The assault in Kyiv was marked by powerful explosions as ballistic missiles and Shahed drones struck the city, prompting residents to seek shelter underground.
Zelenskyy reported that the Russian strikes claimed the lives of 11 civilians and emergency responders while injuring 53 individuals across Ukraine. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed five fatalities and over 30 injuries, including two young children. The attacks targeted civilian areas, with multiple strikes hitting residential buildings and other structures, causing fires and destruction.
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed responsibility for targeting military industrial facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro, as well as military conscription offices and air bases. It asserted that all designated facilities were successfully hit in the strikes involving long-range precision weapons and drones.
Ukraine’s air force disclosed that Russia launched a total of 70 missiles and 611 drones during the offensive, primarily focusing on Kyiv while also striking Dnipro and Kharkiv. The military reported intercepting or neutralizing 632 aerial threats, including missiles and drones. Initial data indicated that 20 ballistic missiles and 27 attack drones struck 42 locations nationwide.
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a historical monastic complex, suffered substantial damage from the attack, with a serious fire erupting at the site. Metropolitan Epiphanius of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine condemned the strike on this significant Christian shrine, urging prayers to preserve the UNESCO-listed World Heritage site.
In Kharkiv, Russian forces employed a “double tap” tactic by launching additional drone strikes after emergency crews had arrived at the scene of an earlier attack. This led to casualties among rescuers and civilians, including fatalities and injuries. Similarly, in Dnipro, a local college building was destroyed, and multiple locations were damaged by Russian attacks using various weapons.
French officials, including Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and President Emmanuel Macron, denounced the assault on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, likening it to an attack on a revered cultural heritage site. Macron emphasized the need for a ceasefire and efforts to restore peace, condemning the destruction inflicted on the shared universal heritage.
The Defence Ministry of Russia alleged that the complex was hit by a Patriot air defense missile from Ukraine, suggesting that it may have gone off course due to expiration. The ongoing conflict has brought devastation to multiple Ukrainian cities, claiming lives, damaging structures, and causing widespread destruction.