Russian bombs struck the cathedral that forms part of the Lavra Monastery complex during the night. The roof of the cathedral is on fire. Four people were killed. This occurred shortly after Putin had called Trump to congratulate him on his 80th birthday.

The birthday greetings are unlikely to be well received when they are followed by an attack on a monument that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The destruction of historic buildings is damaging to Russia’s reputation.

An AFP journalist saw more than a dozen fire engines surrounding the cathedral as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze both from inside the building and from aerial platforms.

There was a gaping hole on one side of the church, and flames could be seen rising from the roof, which had been partially destroyed.

A building in the capital’s national arts and museum complex, “Mystetsky Arsenal”, also caught fire, according to Ukraine’s emergency services.

Russian attacks damaged several buildings in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra complex in January, the Ministry of Culture reported at the time.

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to return to Moscow shortly for exploratory talks.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/15/russia-bombs-kyiv-cathedral/