DistantNews
Support us
🇫🇷 France /Conflict & Security

Ukraine war: First images show extent of damage to Kyiv's Dormition Cathedral after Russian strike

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Russian strikes hit the Dormition Cathedral in Kyiv, a UNESCO World Heritage site, causing significant damage and a fire.
  • Ukrainian officials and international leaders condemned the attack, with Russia denying responsibility and blaming Ukrainian air defense.
  • Ukrainian President Zelenskyy urged G7 leaders to increase pressure on Russia and bolster Ukraine's air defense.

Kyiv's iconic Dormition Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, suffered extensive damage and a fire after being hit by Russian strikes on Monday. The 11th-century Orthodox cathedral, a significant landmark in the Ukrainian capital, had its facade breached and roof partially destroyed.

This is the equivalent for us of the bombing of Notre Dame.

— Jean-Noël BarrotJean-Noël Barrot lamented the damage to the Dormition Cathedral.

Ukrainian emergency services and the mayor of Kyiv released initial images of the devastation on social media. Over a dozen fire trucks responded to the scene to save the historic building. Metropolitan Epiphany of Kyiv, primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, denounced the attack as a "crime against humanity, history, and Christianity."

Nothing justifies this attack on our universal heritage.

— Emmanuel MacronFrench President Emmanuel Macron reacted to the news of the attack on the cathedral.

International reactions were swift. French President Emmanuel Macron stated on X that "nothing justifies this attack on our universal heritage." Jean-Noël Barrot lamented the event, comparing it to the bombing of Notre Dame.

Crime against humanity, history, and Christianity.

— Metropolitan Epiphany of KyivThe primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine denounced the attack on the cathedral.

Russia's Ministry of Defense denied targeting the cathedral, which also holds religious significance for Russia. They claimed it was hit by an American-made Patriot missile from Ukrainian air defense systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on G7 leaders, meeting in France, to deliver a "decisive and substantial response" to the strikes by increasing pressure on Russia and providing more support for Ukraine's air defense.

Decisive and substantial response to these new Russian strikes by putting more pressure on the aggressor and more support for Ukraine's air defense.

— Volodymyr ZelenskyyUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged G7 leaders to respond to the Russian strikes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog