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Kyiv Mourns Sisters, 12 and 17, Killed in Missile Strike That Left 24 Dead

The service became a stark emblem of the civilian toll that Kyiv cites in urging allies to tighten pressure on Russia.

People attend the funeral of sisters Liubava and Vira Yakovleva, killed by a Russian rocket strike on a residential building earlier this month, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
A man kneels next to the coffins of sisters Liubava and Vira Yakovleva, killed by a Russian rocket strike on a residential building earlier this month, during their funeral, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
People attend the funeral of sisters Liubava and Vira Yakovleva, killed by a Russian rocket strike on a residential building earlier this month, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
A mother mourns sitting by the coffins of her daughters Liubava and Vira Yakovleva, killed by a Russian rocket strike on a residential building earlier this month, during their funeral, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Overview

  • The Tuesday service at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery honored Liubava, 12, and Vira Yakovlieva, 17, whose mother is now the only surviving family member after their father died in 2023.
  • The sisters were killed when a missile hit their Kyiv apartment building on May 14, causing a collapse that killed 24 people and adding to a police tally of at least 704 children killed since 2022.
  • Ukraine’s interior minister said a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile, a long-range weapon, likely exploded on the ground floor and buckled the building.
  • After the strike, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia "deliberately destroys lives" and urged allies to increase pressure on Moscow.
  • The Kremlin said its forces hit military targets and denied that its army attacks civilians.