Zelensky visits damaged Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, promises response to Russian attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while surveying the damage caused by Russia's massive attack on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, assured that a response to the assault will come. When asked by a journalist what he would say to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin after the attack, Zelensky replied: "We will still say it."

The president noted that Russia did not choose the timing of the attack by chance. He pointed out that Putin had just congratulated US President Donald Trump on his birthday and then immediately ordered a massive missile strike on Ukraine. Zelensky described this as a display of Russian cynicism, as the attack was timed to avoid scrutiny from the US administration. "For several days, they were not only gathering missiles – we saw that they have sufficient forces – they waited to do it after the congratulation to President Trump. Otherwise, President Trump's team and he himself would have raised questions about the massive strike," Zelensky explained.

The president visited the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to assess the destruction firsthand and reaffirm that Ukraine will respond to Russian aggression.