A major Russian aerial assault killed at least nine people across Ukraine on Monday. The capital, Kyiv, endured its heaviest bombardment in two weeks, leaving four dead and 23 wounded.
The historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site founded in 1051, sustained severe damage after a direct hit ignited a massive fire. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko called the strike a "brutal assault on our people and our heritage."
The strikes knocked out power for 140,000 residents and damaged apartment buildings. In Kharkiv, a second wave of missiles killed five emergency responders. Three others died in a drone attack on the Russian city of Tula.
The assault unfolded as diplomatic efforts continued. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed ending the conflict with US President Donald Trump, while Britain, Germany, and France supported a proposed ceasefire solution involving direct talks with Moscow.