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Two Russian drones deliberately attacked the part of Kyiv where the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal are located, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said following his visit to the sites damaged in Russia’s latest attack, UATV English reports.
“Rescuers have already extinguished the fires at the Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal. I am grateful to all emergency services working at the strike sites and to everyone who is helping. It has been confirmed that two Russian drones deliberately targeted the area of the city where the Lavra and the Mystetskyi Arsenal are located,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that 35 people have been confirmed injured in Kyiv. Across Ukraine, 53 people were wounded and 11 were killed in the massive Russian attack. The President expressed condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.
Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine remains in constant communication with its international partners regarding the consequences of the attack and the necessary response.
“It is important that world leaders, public figures, and international organizations are not remaining silent. I have instructed Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and our entire diplomatic team to intensify all contacts with partners today so that international events this week and next produce real results in strengthening our protection and increasing global pressure on Russia for this war. A just response to this Russian strike is needed,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) established that Russia struck the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra with a Geran-2 drone, the Russian version of the Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drone.
According to the investigation, the monastery complex was attacked at approximately 1:50 a.m. on June 15 during the massive assault on the capital.
SSU investigators recovered fragments of the drone’s fuselage and engine after it struck St. Stephen’s Chapel of the Dormition Cathedral within the Lavra complex.
An examination of the wreckage showed that some components were manufactured in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, as indicated by markings found on the fragments.
The strike damaged the cathedral’s roof structures, domes, walls, and windows. No casualties were reported at the site.
The blast wave also damaged nearby civilian infrastructure in Kyiv’s Pecherskyi district.
The SBU has classified the attack as a war crime and opened criminal proceedings under Article 438 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. Investigators are continuing efforts to establish all circumstances of the attack and identify those responsible.
The fire at the Dormition Cathedral broke out after the strike on the Lavra. The death toll from Russia’s massive attack on Kyiv has risen to five, while 35 people were injured.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, air defenses intercepted 50 missiles and 582 drones launched by Russian forces from the evening of June 14, with Kyiv remaining the primary target of the attack.
Read also: SSU shows wreckage of Russian drone confirming strike on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
