The Lavra stated that the cross did not fall from the Church of All Saints, but was removed intentionally.
Photo: facebook.com/DSNSKyiv
The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra National Reserve stated that the cross did not fall from their Church of All Saints, but was dismantled intentionally. It must be restored and put back in place.
They said that Russian missile attacks on Kyiv are critically affecting the condition of historical monuments. Blast waves, oscillations, and vibrations caused by shelling can cause irreversible damage to architectural objects.
The Lavra explained that they decided to dismantle one of the crosses of the Church of All Saints to prevent further destruction. The dismantling was carried out by rescuers of the State Emergency Service under the coordination of the chief architect of the reserve, Yakov Dikhtyar. The cross is to be restored and returned to its place in the near future.
Recall that the State Emergency Service previously reported that a cross had partially collapsed on the dome of one of the churches of the Lavra. They said that the cross was held on a wire, and rescuers helped to safely lower it down.
It should be noted that the Church of All Saints and the entire complex of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra as a whole are a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Danger. Since the 1980s, the monument has required comprehensive restoration, and in 2024, UNESCO joined the development of scientific and design documentation.
This work is part of the international UNESCO/Japan Trust Fund project "Support to Ukraine in the Field of Culture and Education through UNESCO". It is intended to assess the damage, protect the monuments and implement additional safety measures. In particular, sensors are to be installed to monitor the condition of the Church of All Saints to track the impact of blast waves from Russian shelling, lateral loads and possible foundation subsidence.
