During the night between Sunday and Monday, Kiev saw enormous columns of black smoke rise from yet another barrage of Russian missiles and drones, which caused at least 11 deaths and 53 injuries between the capital and Kharkiv. But this time, the dense plumes of smoke also rose above the golden domes of the thousand-year-old Dormition Cathedral inside the Kiev Caves Lavra , one of the country's most venerated religious monuments and a place of pilgrimage for centuries.

A "targeted attack" by Moscow at the heart of Ukrainian history and faith, according to Kiev, which pointed the finger at two Russian Geran-2 drones, reading the raid as "a message from Putin to the G7 and the European Council meeting this week: he's betting on terror rather than diplomacy." Moscow, however, blames it entirely on a "failed American Patriot." The roof of the Dormition Cathedral, the main cathedral of the monastic complex, a symbol of Ukraine's spiritual and cultural history, went up in flames. Its golden onion-shaped domes have dominated the capital for nearly a thousand years. Overlooking the Dnieper, the Kiev Caves Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, is a vast complex of monasteries and churches, some of which are underground, built between the 11th and 19th centuries. Some of the churches in the UNESCO World Heritage site are connected by an intricate system of underground tunnels over 600 meters long. The most precious religious relics had already been evacuated.

Although the roof was severely damaged by the fire, the cathedral's structure and walls remained standing, while the iconostasis did not suffer significant damage. "It is important that the world not remain silent in the face of this latest act of Russian barbarity. This attack on the Lavra is an attack on the Christian community and on humanity's cultural heritage," denounced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling for greater protection from the international community. Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, also condemned the bombing, calling it a further Russian crime "against humanity, against history, and against Christianity." The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations) also condemned the attack , recalling that since the beginning of the war, "approximately 800 Christian, Muslim, and Jewish religious buildings in Ukraine have suffered total or partial destruction and damage due to Russian attacks."

Outrage has also been expressed by EU leaders and major capitals, from Paris to Berlin and Rome, as well as by UNESCO, which fears "significant damage." Russian bombings have also hit other cultural sites: the Oleksandr Dovzhenko Film Studios, where Ukraine's largest and oldest costume collection was destroyed; the Mystetskyi Arsenal National Cultural, Artistic, and Museum Complex; the Kharkiv Art Museum; and the House of Organ and Chamber Music in Dnipro. "This is how Russia is showing the world its intention to continue the war," Zelensky wrote on X, calling for a "decisive and concrete" response from the G7, where he will participate in the session on Ukraine today.

The Ukrainian leader revealed that he had proposed a face-to-face meeting with Putin at the Evian summit, taking advantage of the presence of Europeans and Americans, but that Moscow "is not ready" for a meeting. Upon arriving in the French city, Donald Trump nevertheless expressed optimism: "Yesterday we had an excellent conversation with President Zelensky and President Putin. And I see the possibility of doing something on that front as well... now that this Iran issue is resolved."

Meanwhile, the EU has officially launched accession negotiations with Ukraine: at the meeting in Luxembourg, the first cluster, the Fundamentals Cluster, was opened, a green light long blocked by opposition in Budapest. "This is a historic day for Ukraine and for Europe. The opening of the first cluster marks a fundamental and long-awaited milestone in Ukraine's accession process and in the EU's commitment to a united, peaceful, and democratic continent," commented Marilena Raouna, Cypriot Deputy Minister for European Affairs, on behalf of the EU Presidency.

(Unioneonline)

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