Damage to Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Estimated at €40 Million
The damage from a Russian strike on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra is estimated at €40 million, and restoration could be completed by 2027 if funding is available.
According to Austrian public broadcaster ORF, the damage from a massive Russian strike on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra is estimated at €40 million. German outlet Deutsche Welle reported on Wednesday, June 24, citing the Austrian TV channel, that if the necessary funding is available, restoration work could be completed by 2027.
Maksyma Ostapenko, the director general of the Ukrainian national reserve, stated that work should not stop for a single day. "The issue of cultural heritage and the preservation of our shrines is part of the psychological war that Russia is waging against Ukraine," he said in an interview with Ukrinform.
Currently, the installation of a temporary covering over the Assumption Cathedral, part of the Lavra complex and particularly heavily damaged by the shelling, is being completed, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture told Austrian journalists. The cathedral is planned to be reopened to visitors and worshippers.
The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, located in the historic center of Kyiv, is considered one of the most important monuments of architectural and monumental art from the early 11th century and a major center of Orthodox Christianity. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990.
On the night of June 15, a Russian strike set the roof of the Assumption Cathedral on fire. Clergy and rescuers quickly removed valuable items, thus preserving the shrine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the Russians deliberately targeted the area of Kyiv where the monastery is located.
One day after the attack, the Lavra's management provided an initial damage assessment and said that restoration could take two years under optimal conditions. "Damage exceeds 500 million hryvnias, which is about €9.6 million," the Lavra's director said at the time. According to him, more than 80% of the cathedral's roof was damaged, but emergency services managed to prevent fire from entering the interior. In total, 17 other objects sustained various damages. A new roof structure for the Assumption Cathedral needs to be built, along with restoration of domes, gilding work, and rehabilitation of damaged systems such as power supply and ventilation.
