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War in Ukraine

Church Heavily Damaged as Russian Bombs Hit Around 70 Civilian Sites in Kramatorsk

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Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko
Dariia Mykhailenko
News Writer
The Church of St. John the Baptist and a nearby residential building damaged in a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)
The Church of St. John the Baptist and a nearby residential building damaged in a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)

A Russian attack on Kramatorsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region damaged the Church of St. John the Baptist and dozens of other civilian sites on September 22, leaving one person dead and five others injured, according to Donetsk regional police.

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Police reported that Russian forces dropped five aerial bombs on the city, including KAB-500 and KAB-250 guided bombs, and also carried out drone attacks.

Around 70 civilian sites were damaged across Kramatorsk as a result of the strikes, including the Church of St. John the Baptist.

The Church of St. John the Baptist and a nearby residential building damaged in a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)
The Church of St. John the Baptist and a nearby residential building damaged in a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)
An apartment building damaged in a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)
An apartment building damaged in a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)

According to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), the attack caused extensive damage to the church, including its walls, roof, and dome.

“The metal frame of the structure was twisted by the blast wave, and the entire area is covered with debris,” the UOC said.

Debris at the site of a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)
Debris at the site of a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)
A building destroyed during a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)
A building destroyed during a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, September 22, 2026. (Source: National Police of Ukraine)

Beyond the church, the September 22 attacks damaged 10 apartment buildings, 54 private homes, a bank building, a store, and vehicles, according to police.

The attack comes amid continued damage to Ukraine’s religious and cultural heritage during Russia’s full-scale invasion. On August 2, a Russian drone strike destroyed St. Vvedenska Church in Beryslav, Kherson region, reducing the nearly 300-year-old wooden church, a nationally protected architectural monument, to ruins.

Built in 1726, St. Vvedenska Church was among the few surviving religious heritage sites in the liberated part of the Kherson region. Despite repeated Russian attacks since Ukrainian forces regained control of the right bank in late 2022, the historic church had previously avoided significant damage.

More broadly, Russia’s full-scale invasion has caused an estimated $4.65 billion in direct damage to Ukraine’s cultural sector, while indirect losses are estimated at approximately $24 billion.

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