Russian barrage kills 11, damages historic Kyiv monastery

Kyiv: Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine overnight, firing 611 drones and 70 missiles at major cities, killing at least 11 people and wounding 53, Ukrainian officials said on Monday.

Five people were killed in Kyiv, where more than 30 others, including two children, were injured. Kyiv bore the brunt of the attack, while Kharkiv and Dnipro were also targeted.

Explosions rocked the capital as ballistic missiles and Shahed drones struck residential areas. In Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi district, five strikes hit civilian sites in less than 30 minutes, including a 25-storey apartment building. A market and grocery store caught fire, while a nine-storey residential building in Obolonskyi was directly hit.

Ukraine said its air defences intercepted or suppressed 632 aerial targets.

The attacks came a day after separate calls between US President Trump and the leaders of Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine's Zelenskyy said the strikes showed Moscow's determination to continue the war and urged G7 nations to strengthen sanctions and bolster Ukraine's air-defence capabilities.

The bombardment also damaged the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a Unesco-listed 11th-century monastic complex. A fire broke out on the roof of the Dormition Cathedral. Zelenskyy described the damage as Russia's “biggest crime yet against Christian culture”.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot compared the strike to a bombing of Notre Dame, while President Emmanuel Macron said it strengthened allies' resolve to pursue a ceasefire. Russia said it had targeted defence-industrial facilities and claimed, without evidence, the cathedral was hit by a Ukr­ai­ni­an air-defence missile.