Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the Russian State Duma, commented on the fire at Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and accused Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Volodin suggested that the incident was used to shift the agenda ahead of the G7 summit.
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko had earlier reported that the fire broke out on the cathedral's roof. Subsequently, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the Lavra was hit by a US-made Patriot air defense system belonging to the Ukrainian army, possibly due to an expired missile.
In his statement, Volodin also harshly criticized the Ukrainian administration. The Russian politician claimed that due to losses and retreats on the front lines, Kiev has resorted to different methods.
However, the exact cause of the fire and political responsibility have not been independently confirmed. Therefore, the claims related to the incident remain unverified statements.