Ottawa spreading false information about Kiev-Pechersk Lavra — Russian embassy

WASHINGTON, June 16. /TASS/. The Canadian government is deliberately misinforming the public about the Patriot missile strike on the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Russian embassy in Ottawa stated.

"Once again, we are forced to point out that the Canadian government is deliberately providing the public with false information. The prime minister’s office is well aware that the buildings at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra were struck by a US Patriot missile as a result of the Ukrainian air defense [system’s] operation. The Russian Armed Forces do not strike, nor do they plan to strike, civilian infrastructure," the embassy emphasized, commenting on a statement by the office of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, which said that Ottawa "strongly condemns Russia’s latest air attack on Kiev," a strike that allegedly caused a fire at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra complex was hit by a Patriot missile in the early morning hours of June 15. The ministry noted that one reason for the system’s malfunction could be that Western countries supplied the Kiev regime with expired missiles.