Switzerland has allocated more than 636,000 euros for the restoration of the Cathedral of the Dormition at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

Switzerland will allocate more than 636,000 euros to support UNESCO initiatives related to the protection and restoration of cultural heritage sites in Ukraine that have been damaged by military operations. The bulk of the funds will be used to prepare the project documentation necessary for the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, as well as to carry out urgent stabilization work. This was reported by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine to .

As noted by Jacques Herber, the Swiss Federal Council’s Special Representative for Ukraine, participation in the restoration of this sacred site is an important step in preserving the historical heritage damaged as a result of the Russian attack on June 15 of this year. As a result of the shelling, the cathedral sustained serious damage, including significant destruction of the roof caused by a fire.

For his part, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enani emphasized that from the very first days after the incident, the organization mobilized expert resources to assess the damage and ensure the protection of the monument, which is a World Heritage Site. Funding from Switzerland will allow work to reinforce the structure to be completed before the onset of cold weather.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetyana Berezhnaya expressed her gratitude to international partners, emphasizing that the protection of culture under current conditions is an integral part of national security. Earlier, the Ukrainian government had already allocated 26.7 million hryvnia for emergency conservation work to safeguard the historic site during the upcoming fall and winter months.

As a reminder, it was previously reported that PrivatBank allocated 2 million hryvnias for the restoration of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, which sustained damage as a result of the Russian strike on Kyiv on the night of June 15. The bank has also launched a fundraising campaign to enable citizens, businesses, and organizations to contribute to the restoration of one of Ukraine’s key holy sites and cultural heritage monuments.