Russia Blames ‘Expired’ US Patriot Missile for Strike on Kyiv Landmark Cathedral

Russia on Monday denied targeting a landmark cathedral in Kyiv during an overnight barrage on the Ukrainian capital, instead claiming the UNESCO-protected site was hit by a US-made Patriot air defense missile.

In a statement following the overnight strike, the Russian defense ministry claimed that the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra complex was struck not by Russian weapons, but by a US-supplied interceptor missile that “malfunctioned” during the attack.

“According to confirmed reports, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra complex was hit by a missile from an American Patriot anti-aircraft missile system. One of the reasons for the system’s malfunction could have been that Western countries supplied the Kyiv regime with expired missiles,” the ministry said.

Dating back to the 11th century, the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (or “cave monastery”) is considered one of the most sacred religious sites in Ukraine. The UNESCO-recognized site is owned by the Ukrainian government as a national reserve, and much of it has long been open to the public.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has called the strikes deliberate attacks on humanity’s shared cultural heritage and urged the use of international accountability mechanisms, including UNESCO procedures.

He said the strike on the Lavra placed Russia among “history’s worst barbarians,” comparing the destruction of Kyiv’s sacred sites to past eras of large-scale cultural devastation.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a “decisive and meaningful” response from G7 leaders, urging allies to increase pressure on Moscow and strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses.

“It is very important that there is a response from the Group of Seven countries, which are now gathering for their summit,” Zelensky said in a statement on Telegram on Monday.

He added that the scale of the attack showed Russia’s intent to continue the war, calling for additional air defense systems for Ukraine.