Russia damages St. Sophia Cathedral in latest attack on Kyiv - Tochytskyi

Shelling by Russia on Kyiv on Tuesday night caused the destruction of the cornice on the main apse of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Mykola Tochytskyi has said.

"This night, the enemy struck again at the very heart of our identity. St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv was damaged - a shrine that has survived centuries and symbolizes the birth of our statehood. The blast wave caused the destruction of the cornice on the main apse of the monument of national importance. This 11th-century temple is the soul of all of Ukraine," Tochytskyi wrote on his Facebook page.

The minister added that the Odesa Film Studio was also damaged by the shelling on Tuesday.

"The Odesa Film Studio, a place where Ukrainian cinema was created, was damaged at night. Pavilions, warehouses, scenery and vehicles were damaged. The scenery for the film "Dovzhenko" - a national project about the most famous Ukrainian director - was completely destroyed," he added.

Tochytskyi stressed that "Russia is not only at war with our cities - it is waging war against our culture, memory, and future."