Kherson Monastery Attack
Russian Monastery Strike in Kherson Region Kills Monk and Wounds Four
Anonymous
Key Points
1
The attacks occurred between 6 a.m. on September 19 and 6 a.m. on September 20, affecting Kherson and more than 40 settlements across the region.
2
The 52-year-old woman killed in Novovorontsovka was struck by artillery while her 14-year-old daughter and mother were injured in the same attack.
3
The four injured clergy members at the monastery were identified as men aged 31, 51, 51 and 53; preliminary reports described their injuries as blast-related or involving shrapnel and mines.
4
Beyond homes and vehicles, the regional damage included 16 private houses, a gas station, a farm building and a gas pipeline, in addition to the high-rise building, critical infrastructure and monastery structures.
5
Officials said the monastery attack took place around 3 p.m. in broad daylight and that all five victims were on the monastery grounds when the FPV drone struck.
Russian forces struck a monastery in Ukraine's Kherson region on September 19, killing a 71-year-old monk and wounding four other clergy members in a direct FPV drone attack. The strike on St. Gregory's Monastery in Chervonyi Maiak occurred around 3 p.m. in broad daylight, according to Kherson Regional Military Administration. The same 24-hour period saw Russian attacks across Kherson kill three civilians and wound nine others in more than 40 settlements.
A Monastery Targeted in Daylight Drone Strike
An FPV drone—a precision-guided aerial weapon—directly hit St. Gregory's men's monastery in the village of Chervonyi Maiak around 3 p.m., according to Kherson Regional Military Administration. The 71-year-old clergyman killed was on monastery grounds when the strike occurred. Four other priests, aged 31, 51, 51, and 53, suffered blast and shrapnel injuries in the attack.
Civilians Killed Across Region in Artillery Strikes
Between 6 a.m. on September 19 and 6 a.m. on September 20, Russian artillery and drones killed three civilians and wounded nine others across Kherson region, Kherson Regional Military Administration reported. A 52-year-old woman died in Novovorontsovka. Her 14-year-old daughter and mother were injured in the same attack. A 64-year-old woman was also killed during the strikes.
The attacks damaged 16 private homes, a high-rise building, a gas station, and a gas pipeline. Vehicles and farm buildings were also hit. More than 40 settlements across the region experienced strikes during the 24-hour period.
Zelenskyy Calls Monastery Strike a War Crime
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attack on social media, stating: "Yesterday, in the Kherson region, Russians struck a male monastery with an FPV drone. Sadly, one monk was killed, and four others were injured." He framed the strike as evidence Russia disregards international humanitarian law protecting religious sites and civilians. Zelenskyy urged Western partners to impose new sanctions and deliver more air defense systems.
Frontline Location Makes Monastery Vulnerable
Chervonyi Maiak sits on the west bank of the Dnipro River, which marks the active frontline separating Ukrainian and Russian forces in Kherson region. This proximity to combat areas makes riverbank settlements frequent targets for Russian drones and artillery. St. Gregory's Monastery has come under repeated fire due to its geographic position, Ukrainian officials stated.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
29
Articles
21
Reach
50
A
AnonymousAuthor
