A RUSSIAN MISSILE STRIKE ON THE WORLD HERITAGE IN UKRAINE On the night of January 24, 2026, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Preserve, which is a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kyiv, was damaged as a consequence of a massive Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv. The Russian attack damaged Building No. 66, the entrance area to the Far Caves complex, as well as Building No. 67 – the Annunciation Church, where the façade was partially destroyed. According to the findings of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale military aggression against Ukraine, 1,640 cultural heritage sites and 2,446 cultural infrastructure facilities have been damaged or destroyed in Ukraine. In November 2025, the 43rd session of the General Conference of UNESCO approved the inclusion of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the National Historical and Cultural Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” in the list of anniversaries with which UNESCO will be associated in 2026-2027. One of Ukraine’s most significant cultural and spiritual sites was targeted by Russia. These Russia’s barbaric actions constitute not only aggression against Ukraine, but an attack on world cultural heritage and shared human values. We condemn horrible war crimes committed by Russia against the World Heritage and call upon UNESCO and international community to respond to these barbaric actions. Russia must be brought to the international justice for its war crimes in Ukraine.