KYIV, Ukraine — A large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine killed five rescuers in Kharkiv and wounded at least 20 people in the capital Kyiv on Monday as strikes set apartment buildings ablaze and sparked a fire at one of the country’s most significant religious landmarks.
The rescuers were killed in Kharkiv by a second Russian strike as they fought a blaze caused by an earlier attack, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. At least five other emergency workers were wounded.
A series of powerful explosions echoed across Kyiv, with a wave of ballistic missiles followed by Shahed drones as many people sought shelter underground and officials urged residents to take cover.
“Kyiv is under the main strike. There is significant destruction of civilian infrastructure,” Klymenko said.
Twenty people, including a child, sought medical help in the capital, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration.
Five strikes hit civilian sites in the city’s Shevchenkivskyi district in less than 30 minutes, he said, including a 25-story apartment building, while a market and a grocery store caught fire. In the Obolonskyi district, a nine-story residential building took a direct hit.
Tkachenko accused Russia of striking apartment blocks on purpose.
“This is their deliberate decision,” he said.
Damage at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a monastic complex, was substantial and a serious fire had broken out, said Tkachenko, who accused Russia of deliberately striking “the heart of one of the largest Christian shrines.”
The roof of the Dormition Cathedral caught fire during the overnight attack, said Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. He condemned the strike as another Russian crime “against humanity, against history, against Christianity” and appealed for prayers to save the site.
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, is a sprawling complex of monasteries and churches, including some underground, built from the 11th to the 19th century. Some of the churches at the UNESCO-listed World Heritage site are connected by a labyrinthine complex of caves spanning more than 600 meters (2,000 feet).
The cathedral, churches and other buildings overlook the right bank of the Dnipro River and have been a pilgrimage site for centuries.
Copyright © 2026 The Washington Times, LLC.
Read the full article at The Washington Times →📄Source document: Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko
3 reports
Associated PressIndependentCenter3 days agoUkrainian drones attacked a Moscow refinery, causing it to catch fire in what was described as a significant strike on Russia's capital.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual report without explicit ideological language or framing that suggests a particular political stance. It simply states the event occurred without commentary or emphasis on either side.
The New York Times (World)Independent🔒Center5 days agoUkraine launched drone attacks against a Moscow oil facility as G7 leaders convened. Earlier in the day, Russia conducted missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, resulting in at least 11 deaths and damage to a religious cathedral.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on military actions by both Ukraine and Russia without overtly favoring either side. It provides factual details about the events without using emotionally charged language or selectively presenting information to support a particular viewpoint.
The Washington TimesIndependentCenter6 days agoRussian attacks on Ukraine resulted in five rescuer deaths in Kharkiv and significant damage in Kyiv, including fires at civilian infrastructure and a historic religious site. Ukrainian officials described the attacks as deliberate targeting of civilian areas.
Bias read (Center): The article reports events objectively without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It includes statements from Ukrainian officials describing the attacks as deliberate but does not present alternative perspectives or frame the event with clear ideological slant.
Official sources cited
- government Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko
- government Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration
United States