The attack on Sviatihirsk Lavra, one of the best known Orthodox monasteries in the Donetsk region. The president: «60 children inside». Moscow: “It was the Ukrainians”
From our correspondent
UMAN (Western Ukraine) – The cultural, religious and architectural heritage of Ukraine is still a victim of the war unleashed by the Russian invasion which began 101 days ago. This time it is the magnificent ancient wooden structure of the Sviatihirsk Lavra, one of the best known Orthodox monasteries in the Donetsk region, right in the heart of the disputed Donbass that is on fire.
Zelensky’s accusations
Hit by some bombs in the morning, the entire central body is in flames: the bell towers, the towers and the upper part of the basilica burn. Whose fault is it? Moscow and Kiev for their part deny any responsibility and accuse each other. “Another crime committed by Russian barbarians, who have no respect for the sacred,” writes on Facebook Yuri Kochevenko, a Ukrainian army officer on the spot, attaching several images of the monastery burning like a match. The government of Kiev confirms the fire, adding that at the time of the bombing the monastery were over 300 displaced. President Zelensky denounces via Telegram: «The occupiers knew what they were bombing. They know that there are no soldiers on the territory of the monastery. , only 300 lay people who had found refuge and among them 60 children. But the Russians bombed it anyway, like the rest of the Donbass. ‘
The Moscow version
The defense ministry in Moscow directly accuses the Ukrainian “nationalist troops” and in particular the soldiers of the 79th Airborne Assault Brigade. “According to local sources, incendiary bullets were fired from a powerful machine gun mounted on an armored vehicle of the Kozak type”, we read with the addition that at this time the Russian units would not be operating in the area of the monastery precisely to avoid damage it.
History from the sixteenth century to the Bolsheviks
However, the damage is very serious. The first written references to the monastery date back to 1527. In 1827 Catherine II wanted to close it, but it was soon reopened until the Russian Revolution in 1917. In 1922 the Bolshevik government imposed its closure and wanted it transformed into a civil structure. function in 2004 from the patriarchate of Kiev linked to that of Moscow of the patriarch Kirill. In recent months it has been hit several times by bombs. On 12 March it was damaged by the Russian air force and a second time on 4 May, when 7 displaced civilians were injured. On 2 June, two other civilians were killed.
June 4, 2022 (change June 4, 2022 | 19:45)
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