29 cultural sites damaged, Kyiv Pechersk Lavra losses exceed €10.5 million: Ukraine assesses damage after Russia's massive attack on Kyiv

17.06.2026, 06:23 rubryka.com

Maksym Ostapenko, director general of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra National Preserve, said coordinated efforts by emergency crews, law enforcement, and preserve staff prevented far greater losses.

According to Ostapenko, staff evacuated all museum objects and exhibits at risk within the first hour after the strike. In the meantime, firefighters contained the blaze and prevented it from spreading inside the cathedral.

Ostapenko also thanked Ukraine's State Emergency Service crews for continuing their work despite the risk of follow-up attacks. He said firefighters remained on the Lavra grounds even after a second drone strike damaged the Tower of St. John Kushchnik and caused destruction at nearby sites.

Specialists are still assessing the damage. Preliminary estimates show that 19 structures within the preserve, including the Dormition Cathedral, the Tower of St. John Kushchnik, and other landmarks from different historical periods, were affected.

"We can already say that the losses exceed 500 million hryvnias [about 10.5 million euros – ed.]. The assessment is still underway because we must account for the full extent of the damage and the restoration work required. Final figures will be available after a detailed analysis is completed," Ostapenko said.

Andrii Donchyk, director general of the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio, said the attack caused severe damage across the entire studio complex. One missile landed between the studio and a nearby residential development, while another struck directly inside the studio grounds.

The studio suffered its biggest loss when a missile struck the costume workshop, home to one of Ukraine's largest collections of stage and film costumes.

Part of the collection survived because costumes had been stored in several different buildings. Donchyk also stressed that an even greater loss to Ukrainian cinema was narrowly avoided:

"Just a few meters from the impact site is a film archive containing about 600 Dovzhenko Studio films. Many of them still exist only on film and have not yet been digitized. The blast blew out the windows and doors there as well, but the collection itself was not damaged and remains intact."

According to Donchyk, the blast wave was so powerful that across the studio's 16-hectare grounds and 18 buildings, virtually no windows were left unbroken. He added that the studio began receiving offers of assistance from philanthropists, film industry professionals, students, and concerned citizens within hours of the attack.

Donchyk also noted that just one month ago, the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio was added to the 2026 list of Treasures of European Film Culture. Founded in 1988, the European Film Academy brings together film professionals from across Europe and promotes their work.

Olesia Ostrovska-Liuta, director general of the Mystetskyi Arsenal National Cultural, Arts, and Museum Complex, said a second Russian drone exploded on the complex's roof at around 5 a.m., triggering a major fire.

"Emergency crews were already working nearby because of earlier strikes, so they were able to begin firefighting operations immediately. I also want to thank Ukraine's Ministry of Culture for its outstanding coordination during the first hours after the attack. It was an excellent example of effective cooperation among all services and institutions," Ostrovska-Liuta said.

She said the strike damaged roughly 2,000 square meters of roofing and attic space. The impact zone appears to be above the main stage of the Book Arsenal festival venue.

Ostrovska-Liuta thanked the Ministry of Culture for its clear coordination and praised Mystetskyi Arsenal employees who rushed to the site immediately after the attack to help protect the museum collection and stabilize the situation.

Preliminary estimates suggest that restoration will take considerable time and require substantial resources.

"We understand that repairs will cost at least tens of millions of hryvnias. Experts are still assessing the damage, so the final figures will be refined later," Ostrovska-Liuta said.

She also pointed to a striking historical coincidence: the latest strike hit the same section of the Arsenal building that was heavily damaged in 1941 during the Soviet army's retreat.

The Mystetskyi Arsenal team is now carrying out emergency stabilization and beginning discussions with international partners and potential donors about funding future restoration efforts.

Restoration timelines were also front and center at the briefing. According to preliminary estimates by experts at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra National Preserve, restoration of the Dormition Cathedral and other damaged monuments could take about two years. The preserve also plans to announce measures within the next few days that will allow visitors to safely return to certain routes and areas.

Officials stressed that the cultural institutions will remain open and active despite the damage. Mystetskyi Arsenal hopes to resume part of its programming as early as this summer. The Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio is continuing its tours and educational activities, sharing with visitors both the studio's history and the impact of Russian aggression on Ukrainian culture.

The briefing also focused on international assistance. Representatives of UNESCO and other international organizations have already documented the damage at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Ukraine's Ministry of Culture stressed the need for a stronger international response to crimes against cultural heritage and for continued practical support in restoring damaged landmarks.

Background

During Russia's large-scale combined attack on Kyiv on the night of June 15, a number of cultural, government, and commercial facilities were damaged. Among them were Mystetskyi Arsenal, the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio, the building of Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court, a business center, a Rozetka retail branch, and a DTEK production site. The strikes sparked fires at multiple sites and caused heavy damage across parts of the city.