The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sustained damage during a massive Russian drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital on the night of 24 January, according to the reserve's director general Maksym Ostapenko.
"For the first time since World War II, as a result of military actions, an object of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was hit," Ostapenko told Interfax-Ukraine.
Two structures were damaged in the attack: building No. 66, which serves as the entrance to the Far Caves complex, and building No. 67, the Annunciation Church. The blast wave shattered windows and doors, and damaged plaster decoration in numerous locations throughout both structures.
The caves themselves were not affected, Ostapenko confirmed.
He noted that this marks the first time the Lavra has suffered direct damage from an exploding aerial target. Previous incidents involved shrapnel damage or debris from downed objects.
Ostapenko drew a historical parallel to earlier attacks on the monastery. "Every time, Moscow stands behind this, as it was in 1918; as it was when, on orders from Moscow, the Dormition Cathedral was blown up in 1941, and now, on orders from Moscow, Shaheds and missiles fly at Kyiv, and among other things, now also cause damage to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra," he said.
The director general also reported that a power outage prevented the seismic sensor from functioning, making it impossible to determine the full impact of the explosion on the reserve's structures.
