St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv attacked: What is known about damage
What is known about the consequences of the damage to St. Sophia of Kyiv (collage: RBC-Ukraine)
The damage to the cornice of the main apse of St. Sophia of Kyiv, caused during the Russian attack on the capital on June 10, is not critical. The Reserve is currently gathering a commission of restorers to assess the situation. According to preliminary data, the restoration may take a month and a half, said the general director of the National Reserve "Sophia of Kyiv," Nelia Kukovalska.
Consequences for St. Sophia of Kyiv
On June 10 at 4:40 AM Kyiv time, a powerful blast wave caused by another massive Russian attack on Kyiv damaged the plastered cornice of the central apse on the eastern facade of St. Sophia Cathedral, an 11th-century architectural monument included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
"Our guards were patrolling the area and discovered that the cornice on the main apse of the cathedral had fallen onto the scaffolding. I immediately reported this to my first deputy, who oversees restoration issues. We called the police and drew up a report. Now we will assemble a commission of restorers," said Nelia Kukovalska.
The Minister of Culture, Mykola Tochytskyi, has already inspected the damage to the monument. The reserve is also preparing a report to UNESCO on the consequences of the attack on the shrine.
"The damage is not critical. According to our preliminary estimates, it is a fallen cornice, probably made in the 17th century. We can see this from the mortar it is made of and how it was laid. We will be able to restore it; it is not very difficult," added the head of the reserve.
The blast wave damaged the cornice of the main apse of the cathedral (photo: Facebook/National Reserve "Sophia Kyivska")
According to her, it is still difficult to say how long the restoration will take because first, we need to gather specialists and analyze the mortar to choose exactly the same composition for the restoration. This may take a month and a half.
"I was worried that the damage would be on the main apse because the mosaic of Maria Oranta could crumble. But the interior of the cathedral is intact. The large walls "neutralized" the blast wave. The brick fastening system showed itself very well in this situation. It is simply sad to see such monuments that identify our Ukrainian nation suffer," added Kukovalska.
The Reserve also emphasized that any vibration loads from explosions pose a serious threat to the preservation of the shrine's structures. St. Sophia Cathedral is constantly in a zone of increased risk due to regular enemy attacks on the capital.
"Now it is important for us to provide international publicity for this event and prevent its recurrence," the Reserve's press service said.
Nelia Kukovalska and Mykola Tochytskyi inspect the damage to St. Sophia in Kyiv (photo: Facebook/National Reserve "Sophia Kyivska")
