Switzerland Allocates $730K With UNESCO to Restore Strike-Damaged Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

Switzerland, alongside UNESCO, is allocating $730,000 to support the protection and restoration of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra following damage caused by a Russian strike on June 15, 2026.

The funding decision was announced on X by Jacques Gerber, the Swiss Federal Council’s Delegate for Ukraine, during his visit to Kyiv on the 975th anniversary of the monastery complex’s founding.

While in the capital, Gerber met with Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture Tetiana Berezhna, as well as UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany.

Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, expressed gratitude to Switzerland for what he termed a "tangible display of solidarity" and thanked Gerber for traveling to Kyiv for the landmark anniversary.

He highlighted the ongoing effort to safeguard cultural landmarks against external destruction, emphasizing the broader goal of preserving heritage site integrity for future generations.

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War in Ukraine

UK May Join International Effort to Restore Damaged Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

Jun 16, 2026 22:30

"As Russia seeks to destroy Ukraine's cultural heritage and erase our identity, our partners support us in protecting and preserving it for future generations," Sybiha wrote on his X page.

The Uspensky Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra complex suffered extensive damage after a Russian Shahed drone struck the altar area of the Stefaniv side chapel during an overnight attack on June 15, 2026, leaving 80% of the cathedral's roof damaged.

According to Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture Tetiana Berezhna, the targeted strike hit several other cultural institutions, including the Treasury of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine, the Museum of Books and Printing, and the National Historical Library of Ukraine.

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