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.

NB8 Accepts Ukraine; Stands by Kyiv in Support

The Nordic-Baltic 8, a geopolitical association of countries from the Northern Hemisphere, meeting in Tallin, Estonia, has opened its membership to Ukraine and pledged its support in Ukraine’s time of need as the group plans military and humanitarian aid for the Winter.

It has been my opinion that Ukraine’s association with any Western group will provide benefits for both sides.

In the press statement composed by the Office of the Prime Minister of Estonia, the officials from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania wholeheartedly welcomed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and assured him that the attendees are his closest friends.

Since Russia launched this iteration of aggression against Ukraine the NB8 countries have been among Ukraine’s closest supporters, offering it military, political and humanitarian support. As for the three former captive nations, their advocacy for Ukraine has been historic.

“You are facing a full-scale invasion. You are fighting. You are resisting, for Ukraine, for the civilians of Ukraine, but also for the rest of Europe. And I think this summit has confirmed once again that we stand by you in our support,” the press statement emphasized.

The member-states conceded that Ukraine has a lot to offer, not least of which is the strongest army in Europe.

The admission that Ukraine and it Armed Forces are also fighting for the rest of Europe, emphasizing a united front against Russia’s ongoing belligerence and America’s hesitancy.

The NB8, in their statement, recognized Ukraine’s battlefield achievements by “pushing back on the front line, defending yourself more effectively.” Russia, they pointed out, “Russia is struggling, but also able to hit Ukraine inside, at civilians, in an unacceptable way.” Indeed, the United Nations has recently condemned the sharp rise in civilian deaths and injuries due to Russia’s daily bombardments.

Noting that nobody wants peace more than Ukraine and its President, the NB8 acknowledged as much, while noting that Zelenskyy unsuccessfully sought an end to Russia’s war in his surprise letter to Putin but the Russian fuhrer turned down the suggestion.

“So again, I think that Ukraine is proving to be open to enter into such kind of dialogue, but on clear conditions,” the group wrote.

Norway supports your call for peace, and we are ready to contribute to any efforts aimed at reaching that goal, said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

“In the meantime, we will have to be steadfast in our support. And we have agreed again, what are the key points now; air defense, defense against ballistic missiles, supporting your energy, and supporting other humanitarian needs inside the country, preparing for a winter which is not that far away,” the group statement said.

Looking toward future cooperation, the statement indicated new summits with the G7 and NATO and “the cooperation here with Ukraine is shifting in nature.” 

“It is now much more of a two-way street, because Ukraine has a lot to offer. This is perhaps the strongest army in Europe, and with an immense ability to innovate and to move forward. And we are happy to say that we are here in a partnership. And I think that in the NB8 context, we have that same approach,” the group concluded. “So, we look forward to taking on the NB8 cooperation. And that will be in the very continued cooperation with Ukraine, Mr. President.”

UN Urges End to Civilian Casualties in Ukraine

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified at least 60,659 civilian casualties in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion began, with 15,850 killed and 44,809 injured.

The UN also notes that actual figures are likely significantly higher due to reporting delays in active combat zones.

Casualty Breakdown & Trends

Total Confirmed Casualties: At least 60,659 (15,850 killed, 44,809 injured) since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Recent Monthly Toll: In April 2026, at least 238 civilians were killed and 1,404 were injured, the highest monthly toll since July 2025.

Children: At least 766 children have been killed and 2,540 injured.

Primary Causes of Harm

Frontline Areas: Over 60% of all casualties occur in frontline communities. Short-range drone attacks in these areas have spiked, making evacuations and emergency care extremely dangerous.

Urban Centers: The extensive use of long-range missiles and loitering munitions has caused massive civilian harm in populated, non-frontline regions.

Mines & Explosives: Mines and explosive remnants of war account for significant civilian deaths and injuries.

Demographic Vulnerability: Older persons (those aged 60 and above) are disproportionately affected, making up nearly half of all civilian deaths in frontline communities.

The war in Ukraine is deadlier today than at any point since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, top UN officials warned the Security Council on June 8, as Council members repeatedly stressed “enough is enough” and pleaded for an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomacy.

“Appallingly, the last few months have seen some of the most extensive aerial attacks of the war,” Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told the 15-member Council as it met for the fifth time in three weeks on developments related to Ukraine or the spillover effects of the war.

Just hours after the last Council briefing on Ukraine, on June, the aggressor-state launched one of its biggest missile and drone bombardments across Ukraine.  “Kyiv was heavily hit,” DiCarlo said, adding that, according to local authorities, seven people were killed and 89 injured.  In Dnipro, missile strikes reportedly hit a residential area killing 16 people, including 2 children.  Civilian casualties and extensive damage were also reported in Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv regions.

Deadly incidents have also been reported in areas currently under the control of Russia, DiCarlo stated.  On June 3, eight people were reportedly killed when a drone struck a bus in Donetsk region, and on June 4, in occupied Crimea, three people were reportedly killed in a drone strike, according to Russia occupying authorities. Striking civilian transportation vehicles and facilities has been commonplace by Russia.

Further, she condemned attacks on nuclear facilities, welcomed the recent exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia, and urged the immediate return of all forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. Reiterating the UN Secretary-General’s call for an immediate ceasefire, she stressed that peace must be consistent with the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.

“The past week has brought another surge in civilian casualties and suffering,” stated Indrika Ratwatte, Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, via video link.  At least 30 civilians were reported killed and over 200 injured across Ukraine between 5 June and the early hours of today in “one of the most significant attacks on the capital since February 2022.”

Emphasizing that these attacks are “unacceptable,” Ratwatte said that international rules obliging civilian protection “exist to limit suffering and preserve dignity precisely when there is war.”  “They must be respected,” he said reiterating that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is ready to work with both parties to help front-line civilians receive aid.

“Today, 10.8 million people require humanitarian assistance.  Yet, we have received less than half the funding needed to reach them,” he said, pointing out:  “My asks to this Council are straightforward.”  He called on the Council to use its influence to reverse the erosion of civilian protection and to help preserve and expand humanitarian operations to reach civilians in need “wherever they are.” Noting that Ukraine “remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises”, he urged Council members to ensure that humanitarian organizations have the funding needed to be present where needs are greatest.  “We urge all those with influence:  please, use it,” he concluded.

Several delegates welcomed the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call last week in this letter to Putin for a full ceasefire and diplomatic end to the war, with the representative of the United Kingdom urging:  “Enough is enough, a comprehensive ceasefire is long overdue.”

The UK Chargé d’Affaires, Deputy Ambassador James Ford observed: “Allow me to say that every civilian death in this war is a tragedy. These are people, not statistics. And we cannot allow the normalization of such death and destruction. But we must also be clear about cause and responsibility. Russia chose to start this illegal and unprovoked war of aggression. Further civilian casualties on both sides could be avoided tomorrow if Russia agreed to a full ceasefire, as Ukraine has done. But Moscow refuses to do so.

“Mr Chair, the reality is that Russia is not seeking sympathy. It is pushing propaganda. It is deploying its disinformation machine, designed to divide and deflect. And it is manufacturing a false equivalence to try to justify its illegal war of aggression. The focus of this forum should remain on facts and on accountability – and on the simple truth that Russia could stop further civilian suffering at any moment, by ending its war against Ukraine,” Ford concluded. 

Mass Murderer  and Drug Dealer — Both Russian

Here’s a story that you don’t read everyday but you wish you did. 

Russia says arrest of Bishop Hilarion, who heads Orthodox congregation in Karlovy Vary, was politically motivated setup.

Czech police have released a Russian Orthodox bishop who was detained on suspicion of drug possession, after Moscow condemned the arrest as a politically motivated setup, according to The Guardian of Great Britain.

Bishop Hilarion, also known by his secular name, Grigory Alfeyev, was stopped by police on Sunday, May 26, in Karlovy Vary, a spa town in western Czechia, popular with Russian tourists, after officers discovered containers of a white substance in the trunk of his car.

In a statement published on Tuesday after his release without charge, Hilarion said forensic tests had confirmed the substance was a banned narcotic, but insisted he had been framed.

“The mere discovery of a prohibited substance does not answer the key question – how these items ended up in the vehicle in the first place,” his post on Telegram said.

Hilarion, 60, heads the Russian Orthodox congregation in Karlovy Vary, which is home to a sizeable Russian diaspora.

The Czech national drug headquarters had said the bishop’s vehicle was stopped after an anonymous tip was received alleging the transportation of narcotic and psychotropic substances.

Russia’s foreign ministry called the arrest a “deliberate, orchestrated provocation”.

The Russian Orthodox church described the incident as a “classic setup,” while Russia’s foreign ministry said it had summoned Czechia’s chargé d’affaires in Moscow, Jan Ondřejka, to formally protest against the detention.

Hilarion previously headed the Russian Orthodox church’s department for external church relations, essentially serving as the church’s foreign minister.

Once regarded as a close confidant of Patriarch Kirill, the powerful head of the Russian Orthodox church and close ally of Vladimir Putin, Hilarion fell out of favor with the church leadership in recent years.

Unlike many senior clergymen who openly back Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Hilarion neither publicly supported nor condemned the war, and was demoted and posted abroad shortly after the invasion began in February 2022.

In December 2024, the Russian Orthodox church’s synod removed Hilarion from the administration of the Budapest-Hungarian diocese after a younger aide accused him of sexual harassment – allegations he denies. He also faced criticism over his allegedly lavish lifestyle, including yachting and skiing holidays, as well as reports about his ownership of an estate near Budapest. Hilarion has said he has been able to purchase property and fund his lifestyle from royalties received for his books and films.

Hilarion was later reassigned to the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary.