On the night of January 24, 2026, as a result of a massive russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv, the facilities of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, were damaged. It was reported by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
It is the entrance part of the Far Caves complex and the Church of the Annunciation, where damage to the facade elements was recorded. During the initial inspection, damage to doors and windows, cracking and crumbling of the exterior plaster, as well as mechanical defects in the fittings were found. The inspection was carried out by the reserve's staff, the National Police investigative team also worked at the site, and a corresponding report was drawn up.
The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Reserve was damaged as a result of the russian attack. Photo: Ministry of Culture
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture Tetiana Berezhna emphasized that the damage to the Lavra is an attack not only on Ukraine but also on the world cultural heritage.
"Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 1,640 cultural heritage sites and 2,446 cultural infrastructure facilities have been destroyed. Damage to the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra is a crime against the heritage of humanity," she said.
An in-depth technical examination of the structures is still ongoing. Upon completion of the documentation, the specialists of the reserve will begin work on conservation and elimination of the consequences of damage.
The Director General of the National Conservation Area "Kyiv Pechersk Lavra" Maksym Ostapenko noted that the last time the destruction on the territory of the Lavra due to military operations was recorded during the Second World War.
"The fact that this year the shrine celebrates its 975th anniversary gives this crime a special cynicism," he emphasized.
As previously reported, on the night of January 24, 2026, the aggressor country russia launched 2 3M22 Zircon anti-ship missiles at Ukraine, 12 Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles, 6 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles, 1 Kh-59/69 guided missile and 375 UAVs.
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