A Russian air strike has struck a monastery in the village of Bohorodychne, Donetsk oblast, where around 100 people were sheltering, regional police said in a Facebook post on May 21.
Russia's war against Ukraine – the main events of May 21
There were no fatalities, and the civilians were later rescued from the monastery’s cellar by Ukrainian law enforcement.
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Russian invaders damage monastery in Donbas The monks were eventually persuaded to seek safety elsewhere, and 40 women, 20 children and men were evacuated by local authorities.
The monastery, identified as a skete of the Holy Mother, belonging to the Sviatohirsk Cave Monastery and established in the 16th century, has been destroyed, local law enforcement say. Both the skete and the Sviatohirsk Cave Monastery belong to the Moscow Patriarchate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has taken a pro-Russian approach to the conflict.
Five village residents with limited mobility were also evacuated.