Ukraine: Latest Russian attack kills civilians, damages cultural landmark

The Russian strikes also damaged homes, schools and other civilian buildings in Ukraine’s two most populous cities, including the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a historic monastery that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the country’s most significant religious and cultural landmarks.

An art museum in Kharkiv also sustained damage.

Night of terror

Matthias Schmale, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, condemned the large-scale attacks, noting that fires broke out in residential buildings and that children were among the casualties.

“For millions of people across the country, the night was marked by hours of air raid sirens and the terrifying sounds of explosions,” he said. 

Yura, an eight-year-old boy in Kyiv, was among them.

“It was loud,” he told the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “We were woken by the explosion and realised it was nearby.”

Emergency workers killed

Mr. Schmale said that first responders and rescuers were also reportedly killed and injured while responding to a previous strike in Kharkiv. 

Additional civilian casualties were also reported overnight and through the weekend in hostilities in the Kyiv region and along frontline areas.

“Beyond the loss and destruction, these strikes on sites of Ukraine’s history and culture are seen by many as attacks on the country’s history and spirit,” he said.

UNESCO, the UN educational and cultural agency, condemned the strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Culture in the crosshairs

The monastery dates back to the 11th century and is located within a property in the historic city centre that also includes the Saint-Sophia Cathedral and related buildings.

UNESCO said the strike reportedly caused significant damage to the exterior and interior of the Dormition Cathedral, which is in the Pechersk Lavra.

“Adjacent historic structures, including elements of the Lavra’s fortification complex and Ivan Kushnik Tower, were also reportedly impacted,” the agency added.

Protect civilians, safeguard cultural sites

Mr. Schmale recalled that “international humanitarian law provides special protection to cultural and religious sites as attacks affecting them deprive communities of shared heritage and a sense of belonging.”

He said this latest wave of attacks adds to the ongoing trend of increased harm to civilians in Ukraine.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, and UN human rights monitors recently reported that May 2026 saw the highest monthly number of civilian casualties in four years.

 “International humanitarian law is clear: civilians, including first responders, and civilian infrastructure must be protected. Homes and civilian objects, including cultural heritage sites, must be safeguarded,” he said.