SBU Shows Debris of Russian Drone That Struck Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed that the attack on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra was carried out by a Russian Geran-2 drone, a domestically produced version of the Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone. The strike damaged the Assumption Cathedral’s St. Stephen’s side-altar; no casualties were reported.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has released images of debris from a Russian drone that struck the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra on June 15. Analysis of the wreckage confirmed the attack was carried out by a Russian-made Geran-2 drone, a licensed version of the Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone.
The strike occurred at 01:50 on June 15 during a massive Russian shelling of the Ukrainian capital. SBU investigators found fragments of the drone’s fuselage and engine at the scene, with markings indicating they were manufactured in Russia’s Alabuga special economic zone.
The explosion damaged the roof, domes, walls, and glazing of the Assumption Cathedral’s St. Stephen’s side-altar. Nearby civilian buildings also suffered damage from the blast wave. There were no casualties.
The SBU has opened a criminal investigation under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crimes) to establish all circumstances of the attack and bring those responsible to justice. Notably, Russia’s Defense Ministry previously claimed that the cathedral was hit by a Ukrainian Patriot missile, not a Russian drone. The SBU’s evidence contradicts that assertion.
