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STORY: UKRAINE / KYIV ATTACK
TRT: 05:01
SOURCE: OCHA
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT OCHA ON SCREEN
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 15 JUNE 2026, KYIV, UKRAINE
1. Various shots, emergency crews outside damaged Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Liaison Officer to Ukraine, UNESCO:
“This is the outside. Also, inside the Cathedral there are some damage. Fortunately, the fire was controlled, and the fire brigades were able to control it before the iconostasis, which was recently restored, to be damaged. We are now going to the tower also to see the damaged and to assess the situation.”
3. Various shots, emergency crews outside damaged monastery
4. Tracking shot, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale walking towards Cathedral
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Matthias Schmale, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine:
“This historic church and monastery, often referred to as the Lavra, was hit by two drones overnight. I am here with colleagues from UNESCO who have just told me that at first sight it looks like the damage is extensive. Now, this is a World Heritage Site and according to international conventions and protocols, heritage sites are protected and member states who have signed up to these conventions, including the Russian Federation, have the responsibility not to damage these kinds of sites. So, doing so violating the convention, could amount to a war crime.”
6. Tilt up, damage to cultural site buildings
7. Various shots, damaged buildings
The overnight large-scale missile and drone attacks by the Russian Federation Armed Forces on the cities of Kyiv and Kharkiv killed and injured civilians, damaged homes, and critical civilian infrastructure. The attacks also impacted spiritual and cultural landmarks such as the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
According to local authorities, at least 10 civilians were killed and over 40 were injured in the overnight attacks, including children and first responders. The attacks followed a weekend of hostilities that reportedly killed at least 18 civilians and injured about 150 others in front-line and border regions, according to authorities.
UNESCO’s Liaison Officer to Ukraine Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi said, “fortunately, the fire was controlled and the fire brigades were able to control it before the iconostasis, which was recently restored, to be damaged.”
The Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, condemned the attacks, saying that beyond the tragic loss of life and destruction of homes, damage to sites such as the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra affects places that embody Ukraine's history, identity, and shared heritage.
Schmale said “this is a World Heritage Site and according to international conventions and protocols, heritage sites are protected and member states who have signed up to these conventions, including the Russian Federation, have the responsibility not to damage these kinds of sites. So, doing so violating the convention, could amount to a war crime.”
In the capital Kyiv, nearly 30 residential buildings, educational facilities and other civilian premises were damaged, while approximately 140,000 households temporarily lost electricity due to damage to power infrastructure.
In Kharkiv, four rescuers were reportedly killed and six injured in a double-tap strike while responding to an earlier attack. Homes and an art museum were also damaged.
The latest attacks come amid a sharp increase in civilian harm. According to the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, at least 274 civilians were killed and more than 1,760 injured in May, marking the highest monthly civilian casualty toll since April 2022.
Following the overnight attacks, humanitarian organizations deployed mobile teams to affected areas in Kyiv and Kharkiv to complement the efforts of first responders and municipal services. Aid workers provided emergency repairs for damaged homes and psychological support.
