Russian missile strike damages Kyiv museums and cultural sites

A massive Russian combined attack on Kyiv on the night of Sunday, December 15, 2024, caused widespread damage to historical buildings, museums, and memorials, marking the first time Russia deliberately targeted cultural heritage sites in the capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported 87 injured, including three minors, and two dead. Military administrator Tymur Tkachenko described it as the largest attack by number of damaged locations since the full-scale invasion began. Among the damaged structures were the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, the Chernobyl Museum, and the Art Museum. Russia launched 600 drones and 90 missiles and cruise missiles, including the new Oreshnik intermediate-range missile, which struck Bila Tserkva in Kyiv region. The attack was framed as retaliation for a Ukrainian strike on a vocational school in occupied Starobilsk. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting and an OSCE gathering.