VILNIUS, ITALY (TEH) – In the wake of a series of destructive explosions on the night of July 23rd in Odessa, Ukraine, the Italian government has expressed readiness to support the restoration efforts of the severely damaged Transfiguration Cathedral and other cultural treasures in the region. Italy, acclaimed for its unrivaled restoration capabilities worldwide, is set to champion the reconstruction of the Cathedral and further protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
The news of Italy’s commitment was announced on the government’s official website. “The attacks in Odessa, the resulting loss of innocent lives, and the destruction of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior have deeply moved us. With our world-renowned restoration skills, Italy is prepared to shoulder the responsibility for the reconstruction of the Odessa Cathedral, and other treasures of Ukraine’s cultural heritage,” the statement read.
Antonio Tajani, head of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated Italy’s allegiance in a tweet, vowing that the country, which has staunchly supported Odessa’s bid for UNESCO cultural heritage status, would be “at the forefront of the city’s rebuilding.”
Odessa, a city still reeling from the explosive events of July 23rd, issued two air alerts during the night, causing city officials to implement air defense operations. According to reports from the local city council, the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior bore “significant damage” from the assault. The head of the Odessa regional administration, Oleg Kiper, revealed via a Telegram channel that additional architectural monuments and several houses had been impacted by the onslaught.
According to #Zelensky, a #Russian KH22 anti ship missile targeted, hit and damaged the Cathedral in #Odessa
This is what a KH22 Missile does when it strikes. If one had indeed hit the Cathedral, it would no longer exist, and neither would most of the surrounding buildings. pic.twitter.com/1LtFFRuyLu
— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) July 23, 2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed retribution following the night of bombardment, guaranteeing that “there will definitely be an answer for Odessa.”
On the other hand, the Russian Ministry of Defense asserted that they had not attacked the area housing the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral. They clarified that all the target locations were “at a safe distance from the temple complex.” According to their report, the targets chosen were sites in the Odessa region allegedly used for “preparations for terrorist acts” against Russia, including locations where unmanned boats were being produced.
Responding to Ukraine’s accusations, the Ministry of Defense speculated that the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral might have been inadvertently hit by a Ukrainian missile “due to the inept actions of the air defense system operators.”
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, defended the actions of the Russian army, insisting they had not attacked UNESCO protected sites in Odessa. Her statement was a response to her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitry Kuleba, who claimed that the damage to the Transfiguration Cathedral was a result of “the ignorant operators of air defense systems that the Armed Forces of Ukraine deliberately placed in residential areas.”
Zakharova concluded her statement by contending that “After what the Kiev regime has done with dozens of Orthodox churches, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, relics, monuments, and monuments, it has no right to appeal to legality.”
