Ukraine restoring medieval Kyiv cathedral damaged by Russian blast

Globe and Mail

16-07-2025

Restoration is under way on the medieval St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv after missiles damaged the iconic symbol of Ukrainian identity and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The blast wave from the missile and drone strike on the night of June 10, which came as part of Russia's continuing and intense summer offensive, damaged the cornice on the 11th century cathedral's main apse.
Museum experts are using chemical and technical analysis, and 3-D scanning data of the cathedral, to assess the damage and expect to restore the cornice by the end of the summer, said Nelia Kukovalska, the general director of the Saint Sophia of Kyiv National Preserve, a historical and cultural state institution.
Built shortly after the Christianization of Kyivan Rus in 988 A.D. by Prince Volodymyr the Great, St. Sophia is considered a symbol of Ukraine's historical and cultural heritage and houses important secular and religious mosaics and frescoes.
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'UNESCO commissioned chemical and technological analyses of the cornice plaster, which enabled it to determine the precise composition of the necessary solution. Now, we can restore the damaged section and reinforce the entire cornice,' said Ms. Kukovalska.
She said she had been concerned about the 1,000-year-old Oranta mosaic of the Virgin Mary with her arms raised in prayer. Standing six metres tall, the mosaic is considered a protective symbol of Kyiv and often referred to as the Indestructible Wall. But an inspection of the mosaic has not revealed any visible cracks.
As Russia's war on Ukraine continues, its cultural heritage remains under threat. UNESCO has stated 501 cultural sites across the country have been damaged since the war began in 2022, including religious buildings, museums and historical buildings. The full extent of damage is not known because nearly all of Crimea and the entire Luhansk region are occupied, as are parts of the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson regions.
Ukraine's Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications, Mykola Tochytskyi, announced on the ministry's website that damage to cultural heritage sites would be documented and submitted to international bodies. The Ukrainian government considers the attack on St. Sophia Cathedral a violation of the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
The summer has been especially difficult as Russia's offensive continues in multiple regions across the country. St. Sophia Cathedral has been on the UNESCO list of World Heritage in Danger due to the risks posed by the war.
Ms. Kukovalska said that as early as 2022 Ukrainian intelligence warned of a possible strike on the cathedral and she credited Ukraine's air defence forces with preventing further destruction.
The cathedral is renowned for housing the world's largest collection of 11th-century secular frescoes, offering a glimpse into daily life of Kyivan Rus. The dynastic portrait of Volodymyr the Great and his family includes his son Yaroslav the Wise and daughters who were princesses connected to various medieval European royal families. They include Agatha of Kyiv, who married Edward the Exile of England and became mother to Edgar Atheling and Saint Margaret of Scotland. Maria Dobroniega, also in the portrait, married Polish King Casimir I.
'Our bloodlines have spread throughout European families, says Ms. Kukovalska. 'Across every European country, there are echoes of our shared history.'