Russia’s drone strike on Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra on Monday damaged five heritage sites and nearly caused catastrophic destruction to one of Ukraine’s most important cultural landmarks, the head of the national preserve said in an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW) published on Tuesday, June 16. According to DW, the attack occurred during Russia’s mass overnight assault on Kyiv on June 15, when drones struck the UNESCO World Heritage site, setting the roof of the historic Dormition Cathedral ablaze.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Maksym Ostapenko, director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Preserve, said more than 20 fire crews worked under continuing missile and drone threats to contain the fire before it spread inside the cathedral. “The most important thing is that the flames did not reach the interior, where the iconostasis is located,” Ostapenko said. According to him, around 800 square meters (8,600 square feet) of roofing were damaged, but firefighters managed to prevent the blaze from reaching the wooden iconostasis and other historic interiors. Emergency workers also evacuated artifacts and relics dating from the 16th to 18th centuries that were on display inside the cathedral. The Dormition Cathedral, originally built between 1073 and 1078, has survived centuries of wars, invasions, fires, and destruction. It was rebuilt after being destroyed during World War II and remains one of Ukraine’s most important religious and cultural landmarks.