Russian Strikes Kill Nine and Burn Historic Kyiv Cathedral

Mon Jun 15 2026 10:15:14 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Russian bombings in Ukraine kill nine, ignite 11th‑century Dormition Cathedral, prompting international outcry amid escalating conflict.

Russian forces struck the Ukrainian capital and its eastern ally, killing nine people including four civilians in Kyiv and five rescue workers in the Kharkiv region. The fire that engulfed the 11th‑century Dormition Cathedral at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery shocked the world and intensified calls for an international response. A separate Ukrainian drone strike hit the Russian city of Tula, claiming three lives and wounding three more, including a one‑year‑old child. Nationwide air‑raid warnings accompanied widespread power outages, and Poland quickly activated its fighter jets and air‑defence systems in a preventive move. The skirmishes come just before a G7 meeting in France where the war in Ukraine will be addressed and after President Zelenski has spoken with former U.S. President Trump about ending the conflict.

Russian strikes claim nine lives in Ukraine

Four civilians were killed in attacks on Kyiv while five rescue workers died trying to extinguish a fire launched by a Russian strike in Kharkiv, officials report.

Historic Dormition Cathedral burns

The 11th‑century cathedral at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra suffered major damage after a Russian bomb caused a blaze, a Ukrainian prime minister described as a “brutal assault on our people and heritage”.

Tula faces Ukrainian drone attack

Three people were killed and three wounded, including a one‑year‑old child, in a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian city of Tula.

Nationwide air‑raid warning and power cuts

More than 140,000 residents in Kyiv lost electricity as drones and missiles set various buildings on fire. The rest of Ukraine faced air‑raid alerts.

Poland’s swift reaction

Poland scrambled fighter jets and deployed ground‑based air‑defence at a preventive stance after the strikes in Kyiv.

Global diplomatic push

Ukrainian officials plan urgent steps with UNESCO and other international bodies, and President Zelenski has spoken with former U.S. President Trump about ending the ongoing conflict. The incidents precede a G7 meeting in France where the war in Ukraine will be a key agenda item.