On August 23, 2026, at about 11:00 a.m., an attack on the inhabitants of the monastery took place near St. Nicholas Church on the territory of the Assumption Monastery of Svyatogorsk, which was committed by a group of unidentified persons, according to the monastery's page on the VKontakte social network.
As a result of the attack, Monk Varsonofy (Turyansky) was killed. Monk Gregory and refugee Andrey Kiriyenko, who lives in the monastery, were injured.
The incident became known around 11.15 a.m. — the wounded monk Gregory managed to get down to the fraternal buildings and report the incident. The brethren immediately notified the law enforcement agencies, and the police arrived at the scene.
The brethren of the monastery took the wounded to a hospital in Slavyansk, where they received the necessary medical care. Monk Gregory suffered about four stab wounds, including a penetrating wound to the lung. Andrei Kiriyenko is in a more serious condition: he also has a wounded lung. They both lost a lot of blood.
Later, the wounded were transported to Kharkiv for further treatment, where they are under medical supervision.
Criminal proceedings have been opened into the attack, and investigative actions are continuing.
On August 23, at the end of the all-night vigil in the Assumption Cathedral, the brethren of the Lavra celebrated a memorial service for the newly deceased murdered monk Varsonofy.