A Dominican monastery and the St. Thomas Aquinas Institute of Religious Sciences in Kyiv’s Lukyanivka district sustained significant damage following a Russian aerial attack that rocked the city on Sunday.
Impact on the Monastery
The monastery, which houses six Polish and two Ukrainian monks, is located in the Lukyanivka district, one of the areas most heavily targeted during the night. Father Krawiec reported that explosions and drones were audible from midnight, with a missile striking a nearby ten-story apartment block at approximately 4:00 AM.
The resulting shockwave shattered windows in the monastery, the Institute’s lecture halls, and the chapel, while also ripping doors from their frames. Despite the destruction, none of the residents were injured, and the religious community continued with their scheduled Pentecost celebrations and liturgical services.
Wider Toll of the Russian Strikes
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that the Russian strikes resulted in two deaths and 77 injuries, including two children. The assault caused damage to numerous cultural and historic landmarks across the capital, including the National Art Museum of Ukraine, the Chernobyl Museum, and the Kyiv Opera.
According to Tetiana Berezhna, Ukraine’s Minister of Culture, other affected sites include the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, the National Music Academy, and the Yaroslav the Wise National Library of Ukraine.