Vatican embassy in Kyiv damaged in Russian drone attack, no injuries reported

The Vatican’s diplomatic mission in Ukraine sustained damage during a Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv, according to the Apostolic Nunciature.

Fragments from drones struck two nearby apartment buildings during the early morning attack, causing damage to both the main structure of the nunciature and its service areas, according to a statement from the diplomatic mission on Thursday.

The compound is located in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district, an area that hosts numerous foreign embassies.

In an interview with Vatican Media, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, the Apostolic Nuncio, said he witnessed drones circling near the embassy and nearby residential buildings shortly before explosions were heard.

“We heard several explosions – two of them very close,” he said. “Our own premises suffered some damage as well, both to the main building – the roof – and to the garage and service areas.”

Kulbokas said large drone fragments were recovered on site and estimated that the nearby residential buildings which were hit were only 230 to 300 feet (70 to 90 meters) from the nunciature.

“The fragments that hit the structure also fell just a few meters from both my residence and that of the Bishop,” he said, adding that they were ready to evacuate if the building caught fire. No one at the diplomatic mission was injured, according to the nunciature.

The strike occurred a day after Pope Leo met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican, where he expressed the Holy See’s willingness to host peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, according to Reuters.