A massive wave of Russian missiles and drones tore through several major Ukrainian cities overnight, killing at least nine people and gutting a revered Orthodox cathedral in the heart of Kyiv. The assault, which authorities described as one of the most intense in recent weeks, saw the launch of 70 missiles and 611 drones, leaving a trail of destruction from the capital to the northeastern city of Kharkiv.
UNESCO Heritage Site Engulfed
In Kyiv, the attack sparked a fierce fire at the Cathedral of the Dormition, part of the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The cathedral’s facade was blown open and its roof partially destroyed. Over a dozen fire trucks rushed to the scene as flames consumed the structure, a scene captured by AFP photographers.
Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, denounced the strike as a “crime against humanity, history, and Christianity.” French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attack, writing on X that “nothing justifies this attack against our universal heritage” and offering France’s cooperation with Ukrainian heritage authorities.
Rescuers Killed in Kharkiv Double-Tap Strikes
The city of Kharkiv suffered a particularly deadly blow. According to Interior Minister Igor Klymenko, five state emergency service rescuers were killed and at least five others wounded when repeated Russian strikes targeted them as they were fighting fires. The tactic, often referred to as a “double-tap” strike, aims to hit first responders arriving at the scene of an initial attack.
In the city of Dnipro, regional military administration head Oleksandr Ganzha reported one person wounded in the overnight strikes.
Moscow Claims Military Targets Hit
The Russian defense ministry stated on Telegram that its forces had conducted a “massive strike with high-precision long-range weapons and drones” targeting military industry sites, airfields, and logistics centers in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro. The ministry claimed “all targets were hit” and framed the operation as retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory.
Meanwhile, on the Russian side, at least three people were killed in a drone attack on the Tula region, about 200 kilometers south of Moscow. Regional governor Dmitri Milaiev reported that three others, including a one-year-old child, were wounded.
A War With No End in Sight
The latest bloodshed underscores the intractable nature of the conflict, now dragging into its fourth year with no sustainable ceasefire in sight despite multiple rounds of negotiations. Russia continues its daily bombardment of Ukraine, while Kyiv persistently targets Russian energy infrastructure with drone strikes.
Diplomatic efforts remain fragile. On Sunday, both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with former U.S. President Donald Trump on his 80th birthday. Zelensky said they discussed “measures that could help establish peace right now.” The Kremlin, however, indicated that Putin’s conversation with Trump focused “mainly” on peace negotiations with Iran, though advisor Yuri Ushakov confirmed that American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would “soon return to Russia.”
Despite these contacts, the prospect of a direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin remains distant. In a lengthy open letter to Putin, Zelensky has demanded a face-to-face meeting to find a way “out of this war.”
