A historical monument of national importance, the St. Sophia Cathedral, was damaged in Kiev as a result of the night Russian attack on Tuesday, June 10. “The blast wave caused the destruction of the cornice of the main apse of the St. Sophia Cathedral, a historical monument of national importance from the 11th century. The interior of the church was not damaged, but any vibration loads from the explosions pose a serious threat to the stability of the structure.”
This was announced on his page on the social network Facebook by the Minister of Culture of Ukraine Mykola Tochytsky. This is one of the few preserved buildings from the time of Kievan Rus. “This night the enemy struck again at the very heart of our identity. The St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev was damaged – a shrine that has survived centuries and symbolizes the birth of our statehood. The blast wave caused the destruction of the cornice of the main apse of this monument of national importance. This 11th century temple is the soul of all of Ukraine,” Tochytsky wrote.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that this is a continuation of Moscow’s imperial policy aimed at destroying Ukrainian national identity and Ukraine’s contribution to world history and culture. The ministry stressed that since 2023, due to Russian attacks, the site has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The cathedral is also under special protection under the Second Protocol of 1999 to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
The damage to the historical monument “St. Sophia of Kiev” is not an isolated case. Since the beginning of the invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine, at least 670 churches and houses of prayer have been destroyed and damaged, and sixty clergymen from various churches and religious organizations have been killed.
Illustrative Photo by Gáspár Ferenc: https://www.pexels.com/photo/tower-of-the-saint-sophia-cathedral-in-kyiv-ukraine-13726130/
