Cathedral described as ‘the soul of all Ukraine’ damaged in Russian attack

Russian overnight attack damages Kyiv's St Sophia Cathedral - (Facebook/Mykola Tochytskyi)

A Russian attack has damaged Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, a UNESCO world heritage site and one of Ukraine's most significant monuments, according to Ukraine's culture minister.

Mykola Tochytskyi announced on Facebook that the overnight attack struck "at the very heart of our identity again". He called the 11th-century cathedral "the soul of all Ukraine" and a shrine that "survived for centuries".

"Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, a shrine which survived for centuries and symbolises the birth of our statehood, was damaged," he said.

He added that the blast wave damaged the cornice on the main apse of the landmark. Video from the scene showed pieces of white plaster crumbled to the ground.

This is the first time since the start of the war that the cathedral has been damaged, first deputy director general of the site Vadym Kyrylenko told reporters.

But Russian drones flying close to the ground present a threat amid continuous air attacks on the capital.

"As our security guards say, sometimes (drones) almost touch the crosses on the bell tower 76 meters above the ground," he said.

This is the first time since the start of the war that Kyiv's St Sophia Cathedral has been damaged (Facebook/Mykola Tochytskyi)

The cathedral was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1990 for its architectural importance. The United Nations' heritage body describes the white cathedral and monastery complex with green roofs and golden domes as a symbol of the "new Constantinople" created in the region.

Kyrylenko reported no critical damage but said the almost 1000-year-old site will be inspected by a specialized institute and repaired.

Over a year after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee placed the Saint Sophia Cathedral on the list of World Heritage in Danger "due to the threat of destruction the Russian offensive poses" to the monument and integrity of its ancient interiors, mosaics and frescoes.

The site was also vulnerable to shock waves it said.

"It is not only protected by our state, it is protected by the whole world. It is the heritage of the whole world," Kyrylenko said.

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