Massive Russian Strike Damages 11th-Century Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv

Russian strikes during the night of June 10 damaged the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv and the Odesa Film Studio, according to Ukraine’s Minister of Culture, Mykola Tochytskyi.

In Kyiv, the blast wave caused part of the cornice on the main apse of the 11th-century cathedral to collapse.

“Last night, the enemy struck at the very heart of our identity once again,” Tochytskyi said. “Saint Sophia Cathedral, a sacred site that has withstood centuries and symbolizes the birth of our statehood, was damaged. This 11th-century church is the soul of all Ukraine.”

The Odesa Film Studio sustained significant damage during an overnight strike, with pavilions, storage facilities, film sets, and vehicles impacted. Among the losses were the complete destruction of set decorations for Dovzhenko, a national film project dedicated to Ukraine’s most renowned filmmaker.

“Russia is not only targeting our cities—it is waging war on our culture, memory, and future,” stated local authorities.

On June 10, Kyiv endured one of the largest aerial attacks since the start of the full-scale war as Russia launched a wave of drones and missiles against Ukraine, with explosions and fires reported across at least seven districts of the capital, residential buildings hit, infrastructure damaged, and at least four people injured.

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