Russian Air Raid Ignites Historic Kyiv Monastery, Kills Five Rescuers in Kharkiv
A major Russian air attack targeted Kyiv and Kharkiv, causing casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, ahead of the G7 summit where Ukraine will be a key topic.
The day on the war
A large-scale Russian air raid struck Kyiv on June 15, setting the historic Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery ablaze and causing significant damage across the capital. The attack, which involved ballistic missiles and Shahed drones, killed at least four people and injured 20, with 140,000 residents experiencing power outages, according to Kyiv authorities.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko condemned the assault as a "brutal assault on our people and our heritage." In Kharkiv, five emergency service rescuers were killed and at least five others injured after a second Russian strike targeted emergency responders who were extinguishing a fire from an earlier attack. Separately, a Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian city of Tula on June 15 killed three people, including a one-year-old child, and injured three others, according to the regional governor. Ukraine denies targeting civilians.
Strikes & the grid
Kharkiv, Ukraine
What: Russian strikes, including a 'double tap' attack targeting emergency responders.
Toll: Five emergency service rescuers killed and at least five others injured. A baby was also injured in a separate drone strike.
Tula, Russia
What: Ukrainian drone attack.
Toll: Three people killed, including a one-year-old child, and three injured.
Diplomacy & talks
US-Ukraine-Russia Bilateral Calls. On June 14, US President Donald Trump held separate phone calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Discussions focused on efforts to bring peace closer ahead of the G7 summit.
What we'll be watching next 72h
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to join the G7 summit in France from June 15-17, where the Russia-Ukraine war will be a major topic of discussion.
- The Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein format) is scheduled to meet on June 18, where Ukraine plans to formally request an additional $20 billion in military aid from its allies.
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