Russian ivernight attack on Ukraine: 5 killed, 29 injured, historic Pechersk Lavra damaged

Russia launched a major overnight attack on Ukraine on the night of June 14–15, 2026, using a large number of missiles and attack drones. Ukrainian authorities reported that at least 5 people were killed and 29 others injured as a result of the strikes. 20 ballistic missile hits recorded. The barbaric attack featured:

• 6 3M22 Zircon anti-ship missiles (launched from occupied Crimea)
• 34 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles (launched from the Russian cities of Bryansk and Kursk)
• 30 Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles (launched from Russia's Vologda and Kursk oblasts)
• 611 Shahed, Gerbera and Italmas attack drones, Banderol loitering munitions and Parodiya decoy drones (launched from the Russian cities of Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk as well as Hvardiiske and Chauda in occupied Crimea)

The attack caused significant damage in the capital Kyiv, where a direct hit sparked a major fire at the historic Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Ukraine’s most important religious and cultural landmarks. Flames engulfed the roof of the Dormition Cathedral, with firefighters battling the blaze for hours. No casualties were reported directly at the monastery itself, but the symbolic attack on this 11th-century site drew widespread condemnation.

Also, the modern terminal of the largest Ukrainian shipping company Nova Poshta was entirely destroyed.

Strikes also hit other major cities. In Dnipro, residential areas and infrastructure were targeted, contributing to the overall casualty figures. Reports from Kharkiv and other regions mentioned additional damage and emergency response operations. Ukrainian air defenses were active throughout the night, intercepting many incoming threats, but several missiles and drones reached their targets in urban areas.

In addition to the strikes on Kyiv and Dnipro, Russia also launched attacks on Kharkiv during the same overnight assault on June 14–15, 2026. A particularly tragic “double-tap” strike occurred when Russian forces hit emergency responders who were fighting a fire caused by an earlier attack. According to Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, five rescuers were killed in this secondary strike. The attacks on Kharkiv involved both missiles and drones, causing damage to residential areas and infrastructure. This brought the total civilian death toll from the night’s attacks to at least five in Kharkiv alone, highlighting Russia’s continued use of tactics aimed at first responders in major cities far from the front line.

This was one of the heaviest Russian air assaults on the capital in recent weeks. Russia has not yet issued an official detailed comment on the specific targets, while Ukraine described the strike on the Lavra as a deliberate attack on cultural and spiritual heritage.The full scale of the damage is still being assessed as rescue and recovery operations continue.

Moscow awaits Trump's envoys and wants to hear how they plan to implement the Ukraine agreements

Russia expects another visit by U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys and wants clarification on how Washington plans to implement agreements reached between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Trump during talks in Anchorage, Alaska, in August 2025.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow remains committed to the understandings reached on 15 August 2025 and expects the United States to implement the position agreed upon on the basis of Trump's proposal.

Lavrov added that Russia expects Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to visit in the near future. Moscow hopes to hear directly from them how Washington intends to move forward with efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine.

Russia fired nearly 2,000 drones at Ukraine in one week -Zelensky

Russian forces launched nearly 2,000 strike drones against Ukraine over the past week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on 14 June, as Moscow continued to intensify its aerial campaign.

According to Zelensky, Russia fired 1,920 combat drones, 1,790 glide bombs, and 17 missiles of various types over the week.

The Ukrainian president said Kyiv is preparing meetings with international partners to strengthen air defenses and other capabilities ahead of upcoming G7, EU and NATO summits.

Zelensky called for additional air defense systems, support for Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities, expanded cooperation on drone production and procurement, and tougher sanctions against Russia.

Russia has significantly increased the scale of its attacks in 2026. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that May was the deadliest month for civilians since April 2022, with more than 2,000 civilians killed or injured.

Ukraine continues to face shortages of anti-ballistic defenses as Russia increasingly relies on ballistic missiles such as the Iskander-M and Kinzhal. Ukrainian officials say U.S.-made PAC-3 Patriot interceptor missiles remain the most effective means of countering these threats.