The Russian military has denied targeting a historic cathedral in Kyiv following reports of damage during overnight strikes on Ukraine.
In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed the Ukraine missile strike incident was the result of a Ukrainian-fired US-made Patriot air defence missile rather than a Russian attack.
Damage reported at historic religious site
According to Russian officials, the affected site is part of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra complex, which includes the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God, where a fire reportedly broke out during the strikes.
The ministry said the structure was hit by a missile from the American Patriot system operated by Ukrainian forces.
Russia raises claims over missile malfunction
The statement alleged that one possible reason for the incident could be the use of “expired missiles” supplied to Ukraine by Western countries, which it claimed may have caused a system malfunction.
Russia provided no independent evidence to support its claims.
Ongoing war of narratives
The latest comments come amid continued mutual accusations between Moscow and Kyiv over strikes on civilian and cultural sites during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Both sides regularly dispute responsibility for damage caused during air raids and missile exchanges.
The incident remains under investigation and has not been independently verified.
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