Greece will support restoration efforts at Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra after Ukraine said a Russian drone strike damaged one of Eastern Europe’s most important Orthodox Christian sites and a UNESCO World Heritage landmark.
This was reported by the Greek Reporter, according to Ukrinform.
"Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni sent a letter to Ukraine’s Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna to express Greece’s condolences and solidarity after the June 15 attack, which damaged the historic monastic complex in Kyiv,” the publication writes.
Mendoni condemned the damage to a site of exceptional architectural, historical, cultural, and religious value. She also stressed that armies must not target cultural heritage or use it as an instrument during armed conflict.”
The Greek Culture Ministry said Greece intends to cover the cost of restoration studies for Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Athens also plans to move forward with a memorandum of cooperation between the European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments and Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture.
The agreement will support specialized training workshops in Thessaloniki for Ukrainian conservators of antiquities and works of art. Through the initiative, Greece aims to strengthen cooperation with Ukraine in the protection of cultural heritage.
As a result of the Russian strike on June 15, preliminary data indicate that the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve sustained damages exceeding ₴500 million, with nineteen sites on the Lavra’s grounds affected.