Kyiv Cathedral Destroyed as Russia Launches Heaviest Air Raids in Weeks

The Lead

Russia has unleashed one of its heaviest air raids on Ukraine in weeks, killing rescuers in the northeast and setting a historic cathedral ablaze in Kyiv, even as diplomatic moves elsewhere raised faint hopes of wider de-escalation.

Massive Aerial Assault on Ukrainian Cities

Ukraine's air force reported that Russia fired 70 missiles and 611 drones overnight, primarily targeting the capital. Air defenses managed to intercept 50 missiles and 582 drones. In Kyiv alone, at least four people were killed and about 30 injured, including children. The attacks damaged apartment blocks, markets, and power lines, leaving approximately 140,000 residents without electricity.

Historic Cathedral Destroyed in Kyiv

The Dormition Cathedral in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, an 11th-century monastery complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site, caught fire after what local authorities described as a direct hit. Flames engulfed the roof of the landmark overlooking the Dnipro River. Metropolitan Epiphanius of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine condemned the strike as "a crime against humanity, history and Christianity."

Double Tap Tactics Kill Emergency Responders

In Kharkiv, Russian forces employed a "double tap" tactic, launching additional strikes on the site of an earlier attack. This strategy resulted in the deaths of four emergency service workers and a municipal official. Additional attacks were reported in Dnipro and the Sumy region, indicating a widespread assault across multiple fronts.

Strategic Targets and Counterattacks

Moscow's Ministry of Defense claimed its forces used long-range precision weapons and drones to hit military-industrial facilities, conscription offices, and airbases, asserting that their objectives had been achieved. In response, Ukraine has intensified its own long-range attacks, including a drone strike that killed three people in the Russian city of Tula and attacks on bridges to occupied Crimea aimed at disrupting supply lines.

Diplomatic Efforts Amid Escalation

The latest escalation occurred while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate calls with U.S. President Donald Trump. Additionally, Washington and Tehran announced a framework to end their war. These diplomatic initiatives underscore the challenges in resolving the conflict, which remains stalled more than four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.