Melnyk at UN Likens Russian Bombing of Kyiv Lavra to St. Patrick’s in NYC

Taking advantage of his address during the discussion of UN Security Council reforms on Monday, June 15, Ambassador Andriy Melnyk resolutely likened the magnitude of Russia’s “blatant” bombing of the Dormition Cathedral to an attack on a house of worship on the scale of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

“For Ukrainians, this strike is of a magnitude comparable to Russia striking St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, Notre-Dame de Paris, or St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York,” declared Melnyk, who is the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations.

The Ukrainian diplomat pointed out that during the massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv the previous night, Russia damaged the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, considered one of the holiest shrines not just for the Ukrainian Orthodoxy, but for all of Christendom.

Melnyk reminded his fellow delegates that this house of worship had been erected in the 11^th century. It was then completely destroyed by the Soviet Russia in 1941 during the Second War War and finally rebuilt by Ukraine after the restoration of independence.

“And now it was Russia again that launched this blatant attack on the UNESCO World Heritage Site,” he said.

Echoing a demand frequently enunciated by others, Melnyk reiterated the ultimatum that Russia does not deserve a seat in the Security Council and therefore should be expelled because its presence undermines the legitimacy of this body.

“Finally, Ukraine stresses a fundamental point: discussions on Security Council reform risk losing credibility if they do not address one crucial issue. A state that commits aggression, violates the Charter, and perpetrates war crimes on a systematic basis shall automatically lose its membership of the Security Council,” he said.

As a strong gesture to Ukraine’s former captive nations neighbors, Melnyk said any expansion of non-permanent membership must include enhanced representation of the Group of Eastern European States, which remains underrepresented, according to him.

The Ukrainian Ambassador, who frequently offers notable quotations from the Classics in his UN addresses, this time cited one by Cato: “Like Cato the Elder in ancient Rome, who repeatedly concluded his speeches in the Senate with the warning that Carthage must be destroyed, I will not tire to remind the UN member states, again and again, that the Russian Federation must be deprived of its illegitimate seat as permanent member of the Security Council.”

Estonian Parliamentarian Supports Russia’s Defeat

The Estonian chairman of the country’s unicameral parliament and a member of its Foreign Affairs Committee has posed a strong argument for adjusting the free world’s goal for ending Russia’s war with Ukraine and bringing peace to Europe and beyond.

Marko Mihkelson of the Reform Party argued that the only way to bring about an end to Russia’s war is by not shying away from the ultimate goal of defeating Russia.

Western leaders are asking the wrong question about Russia, Mihkelson pointed out. It is not how to negotiate with the Kremlin or deter a future attack, but how to ensure Moscow is defeated in its war against Ukraine so that aggression no longer appears to be a viable strategy, wrote Mihkelson in the publication Edasi.

“Almost every day, we hear new warnings about the possibility of a Russian attack against NATO. Defense analysts develop scenarios and conduct war games, intelligence services assess Russia's military capabilities and the Kremlin’s intentions and politicians urge societies to prepare for the worst. All of this is necessary. Yet too often, we fail to ask the most important question: what must be done to ensure that Russia never embarks on another act of aggression? Far too much energy is spent debating who should talk to Russia and how. Far too little is devoted to discussing how to bring about Russia’s defeat in the imperial wars of its own making.”

Mihkelson criticized politicians who favor using “sufficiently skillful diplomacy” to persuade Russian officials to abandon their objectives. The so-called right mediator, format and compromise also don’t work. None of that exists in the Kremlin’s world.

“Reality has proved mercilessly different,” he declared.

Indeed, reading or watching the news paints a very different image. Russia is intent on bombing Ukraine and killing Ukrainians until Kyiv succumbs to its will or surrenders.

“Russia operates according to the opposite logic. It prepares for opportunities, not threats. Its military planning rests on the assumption that weakness and hesitation among its adversaries create openings for further conquest. Its strategic objectives have not changed: Ukraine must fall and NATO must fracture,” he wrote. “It is therefore hardly surprising that every attempt to secure peace without addressing the root causes of aggression has reached a dead end. Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to agree to ceasefires and engage in negotiations. It did so in the early weeks of the war and it has done so repeatedly through various peace initiatives supported by international partners. Moscow’s response has always been the same: nyet.”

For Russia and its fuhrer Putin, negotiations are only a means to buy time and as long as Russia believes that time is on its side, it has little incentive to end the war, he opined.

Mihkelson also cautioned against voices in Washington, DC, that favor lasting peace without mentioning a just peace because “peace without justice is not peace at all. It is merely a ceasefire before that next war.”

Mihkelson urged his colleagues throughout the free world to speak openly about Russia’s defeat rather than a truce but more importantly to act to make its demise realistic.  “Supporting Ukraine is of critical importance because every day Ukraine holds the line, it is defending the rest of Europe as well,” he said, repeating the oft-repeated concept that the defense of Europe begins in Ukraine.

“And if we can finally move beyond the absurd formula — that Ukraine must not lose, but Russia must not win, a phrase still heard all too often in Europe’s diplomatic corridors — and instead focus on victory, then there is reason for hope.

But to do that, we must first overcome one deeply ingrained fear: the fear of Russia’s defeat.”

‘Stop Russian Barbarism’

The following are statements by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha regarding Russia’s mass bombardment of Kyiv and the targeting of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra on June 14, 2026, delivered the next day at the United Nations.

 

Kyiv

Putin sends a message to G7 and European Council summits this week: he bets on terror instead of diplomacy. 

I urge the G7 and European leaders to hear this message well and ensure a proper response: stronger air defense for Ukraine and pressure on the aggressor. 

At least four dead and almost 30 injured in Kyiv as a result of Russia’s massive attack with the use of over 60 missiles and hundreds of drones. 

Russia also killed five first responders in a vile double-tap strike on Kharkiv. 

There have been more casualties across Ukraine in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy, Mykolayiv, Zaporizhzhia, and other regions.  

As the 21st century’s worst barbarian, Putin specifically targeted unique religious and cultural sites.  

Russians severely damaged the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra; bombed the historic Oleksandr Dovzhenko Film Studios, destroying Ukraine’s largest and oldest costumes collection; struck the Kharkiv Art Museum and the Dnipro House Of Organ And Chamber Music. 

Russia has no justification for ruining lives, targeting residential areas, and destroying Ukrainian culture. It must be held accountable for its crimes. 

This attack demonstrates the urgent need to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense. This is priority number one. Additional contributions to PURL, strong decisions to provide Ukraine with air defense systems and interceptors. 

We also urge our partners to speed up the Ukraine-led European effort to develop our own protection from ballistic threats. It is time to deprive barbarians such as Putin from their terrorist tools

 

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra

By striking the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of the greatest holy sites of Christianity, Putin has forever put his name on the list of history’s worst barbarians. 

He should be damned for centuries. And he will lose this war.

From the Horde in the 13th century to the Nazis and Bolsheviks in the 20th century, Kyiv’s sacred monasteries have suffered numerous barbarically attacks.

Now we are dealing with Russian terrorists who have already outmatched ISIS in their crimes against cultural heritage. Only Russian scum who have nothing sacred can deliberately damage the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a unique UNESCO heritage site under special protection.

We will be urgently initiating all relevant procedures within UNESCO and all other international mechanisms, demanding immediate and adequate responses to this state barbarism. 

We expect strong reactions by international institutions and capitals. No vague words, silence, or weak steps. We need action now to stop Russian barbarism.

 

Remember this when next time you find yourself in a situation, where you may be compelled to shake hands with a Russian. His or her hand may be blood soaked or soiled with debris from one or another destroyed Ukrainian religious shrine.

UNESCO, Who Did It?

It’s probably the world’s most public secret of the past couple of days.

Every news media — print, broadcast and electronic — wrote about it and added images and video clips about the bombing of the thousand-year-old Ukrainian house of worship.

Fires consumed the domes and top floors of the ancient religious sanctuary located in the capital of Kyiv.

The monastery, a symbol of Ukrainian Christian spiritual culture known as Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, had been designated a historic landmark by the UN’s agency UNESCO. The airborne attack was condemned by many, many institutions around the world.

There was just one detail missing from UNESCO’s press release: who did it? Yes, it was Russia.

In the introductory paragraph the announcement did say the attack happened in the course of the escalation following the invasion by Russia, but that passive remark was all that was brought to light.

Here’s the full text:

The strike reportedly caused significant damage to the exterior and interior of the Dormition Cathedral. Adjacent historic structures, including elements of the Lavra’s fortification complex and Ivan Kushnik Tower, were also reportedly impacted.

UNESCO condemns attacks against cultural property, educational institutions, students, education personnel and media professionals protected under international law. Damage to such institutions deprives communities of access to culture, education, and shared spaces that are essential for recovery and social cohesion.

UNESCO stands ready to support relevant authorities in assessing damage to cultural and educational institutions and identifying urgent measures within its mandate.

Gratefully, the Lavra is protected by UNESCO otherwise the notice would be nonchalant.

Russians Exceed Own Excesses by Striking Ancient Christian Monastery in Kyiv 

Thirteen people were injured and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a 1,000-year-old symbol of Ukrainian spiritual and cultural history, caught fire following a major Russian air attack on the Ukrainian capital, authorities said early on Monday, urging residents to take shelter.

The air attack damaged electricity lines and left 140,000 Kyiv residents without power, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app, adding that some houses and cars also caught fire after being hit by drone debris.

Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities have in the past destroyed or damaged local houses of worship but this is the first time in the latest Russian war against Ukraine that it struck a church of the magnitude of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Monastery.

The central Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, ⁠a UNESCO World Heritage site, was seriously damaged in a direct attack, Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the capital's military administration, said in a separate Telegram post. Images of the house of worship in flames were published around the world.

"A brutal assault on our people and our heritage. This is the true face of Russia's Orthodox values," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on X, with her post showing the monastery buildings in flames. Her denunciation of Russia’s crass disrespect for Ukraine’s culture and spirituality were echoed across Ukraine and Europe.

The city was under a massive missile attack, with a high-rise apartment building also on fire, according Kyiv authorities.

Drones continued to attack Kyiv from different directions, Ukraine's Air Force said on Telegram, with explosions heard in the city, a Reuters witness said.

Neighboring Poland, a European Union and a NATO member, has scrambled its fighter jets and put ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance on a state of readiness, Poland’s Armed ‌Forces said in ⁠a post on X.

Most of Ukraine was under air raid warnings in the early hours of Monday, June 15, local time.

Five emergency service rescues were killed and at least another five injured after a second Russian strike hit Kharkiv, Ukraine's second biggest city, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram, with attacks also in the region of the city of Dnipro, according to social media posts by local authorities.

In its defensive efforts, Ukraine has recently intensified attacks on Russian industrial and energy facilities, as it tries to deprive Moscow from revenues to bring the end to the war closer.

The latest strikes come after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, June 14, he had spoken to President Donald Trump and discussed efforts to achieve an end ⁠to the more than four-year war, ahead of a G7 meeting in France this week.

Trump told Russian fuhrer Vladimir Putin on Sunday that ending the conflict in Ukraine was vital and he was ready to help.

It seems that Trump is ready to return to focusing on Ukraine after achieving his goal with Iran. Trump must understand that the nature of Russia’s war against Ukraine as well as Kyiv’s defense against Russia’s attacks have changed. Ukraine has been causing significant damage against Russian energy and other valuable targets. Its drones have even struck Russia’s tsarist gem Petrograd causing mass hysteria in the streets.

Kyiv now has the cards & numbers that Trump gloated that Ukraine lacked. Trump must be wondering what happened? Basically he didn’t believe #Zelenskyy. He didn’t believe Ukrainians and Ukrainian American voters. He believed Putin.

Residential buildings were struck in Kyiv amid large-scale Russian missile and drone attack overnight on June 15, Ukrainian officials reported, targeting the capital with ballistic missiles and drones.

Several multi-story residential buildings were struck in the capital, officials said.

Ukraine's Air Force reported that dozens of Russian drones were approaching the Ukrainian capital amid active air defense operations. A ballistic missile threat was also issued for most of the country overnight with air raid alerts active in central and eastern regions.

Explosions were first heard in Kyiv around 1 AM local time by Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground. A second round of explosions came amid a missile threat around 1:30 AM.

Mayor Klitschko said drones had been downed over several districts of the city. Power outages were also reported in various neighborhoods of the capital.

Local military administration head Tymur Tkachenko reported a fire at a three-story residential building in the Podil district of the city. Videos posted to social media also purport to show multiple car fires within the city.

Ukrainian officials have previously warned of the renewed threat of large-scale attacks in the preceding days.

The Ukrainian Air Force on June 12 that it was highly likely to use an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine on June 13, although the attack did not materialize.

The latest large-scale attack follows Russian fuhrer Vladimir Putin's ongoing rejection of a ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin rejected on June 5 Zelenskyy’s open letter calling for the immediate reopening of peace negotiations. Western European leaders cheered Zelenskyy’s offer of a ceasefire.

Putin’s repudiation of Zelenskyy’s suggestion to meet and discuss peace ahead of Moscow’s latest bombing of many Ukrainian cities including the historic Kyiv Pechersk monastery is a clear indication that peace is not Russia’s goal. If the Kremlin can’t conquer Ukraine and return it to its prison of nations then Putin will fight until the end of time. The free world must vanquish and subdue Russia first.

Ukraine to Take Center Stage at France's 2026 Bastille Day Military

Ukraine will be one of the central themes of France's Bastille Day military parade on July 14, with organizers planning a larger event that reflects European security challenges and support for Kyiv, Le Figaro reported this week.

According to the newspaper, the 2026 Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Élysées will be larger than last year's event. About 10,000 military personnel are expected to take part, compared with 7,000 in 2025. The amount of ground and air equipment involved will also increase by roughly 30%.

Two Mirage 2000 fighter jets will be piloted by a Ukrainian and a French pilot, while one of the aircraft will be painted in the colors of Ukraine.

The parade will also feature French units deployed on NATO's eastern flank, including those stationed in Estonia, Poland and Romania.

The report said the concept of the parade was shaped by the current strategic environment and the need to demonstrate the results of France's military rearmament amid Russia's war against Ukraine. 

Representatives from 37 countries that are part of the "coalition of the willing" that support Ukraine and have expressed readiness to provide security guarantees for Kyiv have been invited to Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to hold a separate meeting with them.

Merci pour ce grand geste de solidarité et de soutien envers l'Ukraine et les ukrainiens!

Opposite Sides of the Coin: Peace or War in Ukraine

While many free world leaders in Europe and in Washington, DC, are hoping against hope that Russia’s war against Ukraine will end diplomatically and peacefully, Kremlin officials have repeated their longstanding belief that boots on the ground will rule the day.

This past Sunday, June 8, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, in a joint statement, backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who “supported the proposal for a direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, with active US and European participation, to bring about a ceasefire and support further negotiations.”

Zelenskyy met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at 10 Downing Street for talks as Russia’s war has stretched into its fifth year.

The leaders “supported the proposal for a direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, with active US and European participation, to bring about a ceasefire and support further negotiations,” they said.

“The current line of contact should be the starting point for negotiations,” it said, adding that “international borders must not be changed by force.”

On the other hand, following the revelation of President Zelenskyy’s letter to Russian fuhrer Putin about meeting to end the war that Moscow launched, the Kremlin’s foreign minister again expounded that soldiers fighting along the front line will decide the war’s outcome and not negotiations. An obvious inconsistency with, among others, the White House.

Russian officials were irate in their condemnation of Zelenskyy’s surprise communication with Putin. Sergey Lavrov specifically pointed out on Monday, June 8, that Moscow is unhappy that the letter was “circulated around the world,” claiming that “polite people do not behave this way.”

Lavrov also claimed that for the Kremlin it “indicates that Ukraine has no interest in negotiation,” despite Kyiv’s numerous attempts to initiate talks with Moscow.

Lavrov, who apparently has recently fallen out of grace with Putin, echoed his leader’s earlier statement that “it is not negotiations but the actions of those involved” on the front lines of Russia’s war “that are crucial to the outcome” of Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

“But so far, to our great regret, our American partners have shown no interest in this.”

Lavrov expressed his disappointment and “concern” over a statement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who recently said at a congressional hearing that Washington cannot act as a mediator because it supports Ukraine.

However, during hearings on June 3, Rubio also downplayed the military option to ending the war, saying said the US does not see a military path to ending the conflict. He said the war can only be stopped through diplomatic means, but this is hindered by the parties’ lack of willingness to compromise.

According to Rubio, Washington continues to support any efforts aimed at establishing peace, as it believes that the war in Ukraine has no military solution.