The last time the Dormition Cathedral was destroyed, German forces occupied Kyiv. This week, the attack was Russian. Architectural journalist Asya Zolnikova traces a millennium of history.
On June 15, 2026, the roof of the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra caught fire after a Russian drone attack on Kyiv. In January 2026, the centuries-old monastery complex had already been damaged in Russian military operations — the first such harm to the Lavra since World War II. The monastery has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, yet this week’s mangling is exceptional, and UNESCO and European political leaders have already responded. Architecture journalist Asya Zolnikova reports.
Popular pro-war outlet effectively acknowledges Russian responsibility for the Kyiv monastery strike — while defending it and ridiculing fellow Z-bloggers for rejecting such attacks
Rybar, a Telegram channel with close ties to Russia’s Defense Ministry, has effectively acknowledged that Russian forces struck the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a historic Orthodox monastery complex in Ukraine’s capital. The channel’s authors also accuse other pro-war bloggers of inconsistency and “muddled thinking” in their commentary about the attack.
Ukraine’s drone campaign has now forced limits on gasoline purchases across 53 regions of Russia
Most Russian regions are contending with some form of fuel problem, the business news outlet The Bell reports.
Ukrainian Su-24M crashes during combat mission, killing pilot and navigator
A Ukrainian Su-24M frontline bomber crashed in Ukraine’s Khmelnytsky region on the evening of June 16, the Air Force command announced.
Russia’s FSB proposes cutting physical fitness test minimums for military service candidates
Russia’s Federal Security Service plans to lower the minimum passing scores on physical fitness tests for contract military service candidates and applicants to its educational institutions, according to a draft order first reported by Verstka, an independent Russian news outlet.
Former FSB director Patrushev said rescue workers, not Russia’s security services, were responsible for the 2002 Moscow theater hostage deaths. (Sergei Shoigu led those rescue services.)
Nikolai Patrushev, former director of the Federal Security Service (FSB) who now serves as a presidential aide, has blamed rescue workers for the deaths of hostages during the terrorist attack at Dubrovka in 2002.
Campaign guidelines urge Russia’s ruling political party to hide its own branding at mass events to avoid voter backlash ahead of September elections
As Meduza has already reported, both Russia’s Presidential Administration and the ruling political party United Russia are concerned about a general climate of unpredictability in the country and its effect on their campaign ahead of State Duma elections scheduled for September 18–20. The ruling party plans to finalize and release its platform in late August.
Russian warship fires warning shots at British yacht in the English Channel
The Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired a warning shot in the direction of a civilian yacht flying a British flag after it came within about 500 meters (1,640 feet) of the warship in the English Channel, BBC News reported.
Rosneft, Bashneft, and TNK gas stations stop selling gasoline in canisters
Rosneft and its subsidiaries Bashneft and TNK have stopped selling gasoline in canisters at stations across Russia, the independent Russian news outlet Verstka reported.
Occupation officials in Crimea ban mopeds and motorcycles at night because they sound like drones
Russian-installed authorities in occupied Crimea have banned mopeds, motorcycles, and other motorized two-wheelers from operating at night, effective June 17 and until further notice.
meduza.io.bot