Moscow’s faltering war in Ukraine has taken a striking turn, from attempts to simply take land toward an original goal of the 2022 invasion: reclaiming Ukraine as an “inalienable” part of Russia’s “spiritual space.” On the night of June 15, a Russian drone directly hit the most venerated site for Ukraine’s majority Orthodox Christians, and indeed for much of Eastern Christendom.

The attack destroyed most of the roof of the Dormition Cathedral, first built in the 11th century and part of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra – the Monastery of the Caves, according to Ukrainian officials. The complex in the capital, Kyiv, is the origin point for the early Christianization of first Ukraine and later Russia.

Many Ukrainians saw the strike as the boldest attempt yet by Russian President Vladimir Putin to erase Ukrainian identity, especially its spiritual heritage. The shock was like the 9/11 attacks for Americans and the burning of Notre-Dame for the French. Indeed, “many Russians will be shocked that their leadership would set fire to a thousand-year-old sacred edifice,” wrote former United States diplomat E. Wayne Merry in The National Interest. 

Yet if the attack was meant to demoralize Ukraine’s faithful, it has so far failed. In fact, it is widely viewed as an act of desperation by Mr. Putin. “Most Ukrainians understand perfectly well that attacks on heritage spaces are ... a key component of Russian strategy,” wrote Mercedes Sapuppo at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center.

During more than four years of war, Ukrainians have shown that a small country with strong morale, spiritual strength, and creative innovation can hold a larger adversary at bay. After the strike, Bishop Avraamii, abbot of the cathedral under the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, wrote on Facebook: 

“We believe that even in the most difficult times, the spiritual heritage, faith and unity of the people remain the foundations that cannot be destroyed by any force.”

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Much of the world has taken notice. The United Nations Security Council discussed the attack in a June 22 session. Several countries, such as Greece, Switzerland, Britain, and Estonia, moved quickly to help in restoring the religious site. The restoration work has already begun. 

“Russia strikes not only at residential buildings, but also at our memory, culture, spirituality, and everything that shapes Ukrainian identity,” said Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko. “But even after the heaviest blows, we will stand firm. We will rebuild what was destroyed, preserve what is priceless to us, and not allow the enemy to erase our history.”