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Russian attacks damaged homes, schools and other civilian buildings in Ukraine’s two most populous cities, including office buildings. Kiev-Pechersk Lavraa historic monastery namely a UNESCO A World Heritage Site and one of the most important religious and cultural landmarks in the country.
An art museum in Kharkiv also suffered damage.
Night terror
Matthias Schmale, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, cursed large-scale missile and drone attacks, noting that fires broke out in residential buildings and children were among the victims.
“For millions of people across the country, that night was marked by hours of air raid sirens and terrifying sounds of explosions,” he said.
Yura, an eight-year-old boy in Kyiv, is among them.
“It was loud,” he said notified United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “We were awakened by the explosion and realized that it had occurred nearby.”
Emergency workers killed
UN humanitarian agencies said the attacks came after weekend hostilities that reportedly killed at least 18 civilians and wounded around 150 others on the front line and border areas, according to authorities.
In Kyiv, nearly 30 residential buildings, educational facilities and other civic structures were damaged, while around 140,000 households temporarily lost electricity due to damage to electrical infrastructure.
In Kharkiv, four rescuers were reported killed and six others injured in two attacks while responding to an earlier attack.
Culture in the crosshairs
Schmale noted that “in addition to the loss and destruction, these attacks on Ukrainian historical and cultural sites are seen by many as attacks on the history and spirit of the country.”
UNESCO, the United Nations educational and cultural agency, cursed strike at Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
The convent was built in the 11th century and is located within a property in the historic city center that also includes Saint-Sophia Cathedral and associated buildings.
UNESCO said the attack reportedly caused significant damage to the exterior and interior of the Dormition Cathedral, located in the Pechersk Lavra.
“Nearby historical buildings, including elements of the Lavra fortress complex and the Ivan Kushnik Tower, were also reportedly affected,” the agency added.
Protect civilians, safeguard cultural sites
Schmale reminded that “international humanitarian law provides special protection to cultural and religious sites because attacks result in the loss of cultural heritage and a sense of community belonging.”
He said this latest wave of attacks adds to a trend of increasing harm to civilians in Ukraine.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, and UN human rights monitors recently reported that May 2026 saw the highest monthly number of civilian casualties in four years.
“International humanitarian law is clear: civilians, including first aid workers, and civilian infrastructure must be protected. Homes and civilian objects, including cultural heritage sites, must be protected,” he said.
