President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on Aug. 15 instructing the Cabinet of Ministers to draft a bill on the protection of Ukrainian national shrines.
Zelensky’s order coincided with the 975th anniversary of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Ukraine’s most important historic and religious symbols. The Lavra was heavily damaged by a massive Russian missile strike in June.
“Today, we mark the 975th anniversary of the Lavra — almost a millennium,” Zelensky said during a ceremony at the monastery complex.
“Here, at the Lavra, and in our other places like this — in our national shrines — you feel that you are part of something much greater and longer-lasting than your personal story, your personal experiences, and your personal memory. Today, I signed a decree on measures at the state level to protect Ukraine’s national shrines.”
