Russian attack damages historic Catholic monastery in Lviv

March 26, 2026

Russia launched a drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Lviv, far from the frontline of the Russo-Ukrainian war, and damaged the historic Bernardine church and monastery.

The attack “reminds us that the war is still ongoing,” said Latin-rite Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki of Lviv. “Thank God no lives were lost; there were only injuries, and some buildings were destroyed—structures that can be rebuilt.”

“We thank the entire Church, particularly the Church in Italy, for its spiritual and humanitarian solidarity,” Archbishop Mokrzycki added. “We hope that this Easter, the Risen Christ will grant peace to our land.”

A Russian attack on Ivano-Frankivsk, also located in western Ukraine, killed two people in a maternity ward.

 

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Further information:

• Attacchi sull'Ucraina occidentale, colpita la città di Leopoli (Vatican News, 3/25/26)
• Three dead and Unesco monastery hit in Lviv as Russia launches rare daylight drone attack on Ukraine (The Independent, 3/24/26)
• Unesco-protected monastery in Lviv damaged by Russian drone strike (The Art Newspaper, 3/25/26)