The preliminary estimate of the damage caused by the destruction of the Assumption Cathedral has been released
The damage to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve caused by the massive Russian attack on the night of June 15 has already exceeded 500 million hryvnias.
The State Emergency Service managed to quickly bring the fire under control and save the main shrine from complete destruction.
Currently, the main firefighting operations on the grounds of the historic complex have been completed. SES specialists continue to remove dangerous debris and dismantle damaged building structures.
Rescuers, together with reserve staff, are preparing the damaged roof of the Assumption Cathedral for the installation of a temporary protective covering to ensure its future preservation.
The management of the cultural institution is actively assessing the extent of the damage to plan future restoration.
“We are finalizing this data, but it is clear that the cost exceeds 500 million hryvnias. This is the initial estimate as of today. Additional data is still coming in,” noted Maksym Ostapenko.
One of the most difficult tasks for experts is the urgent assessment of the condition of the cathedral’s vault, which was severely damaged by high temperatures.
“There was a risk of it collapsing into the cathedral, which could have caused the iconostasis and many other items to catch fire. It would have been very difficult to stop the fire, and we would have lost the magnificent works of art inside the Assumption Cathedral,” the director explained.
The heroic efforts of the firefighters and the deployment of over 20 pieces of specialized equipment helped prevent the worst-case scenario.
“The vault held up, although there were two areas where the fire had already begun to spread inside the cathedral, and the danger was very serious. It was only because we managed to deploy more than 20 pieces of equipment that the cathedral was saved from total destruction,” said the head of the reserve.
This was stated on air during a telethon by the institution’s director general, Maksym Ostapenko.
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