Russian overnight strikes killed 11 people and set fire to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, an 11th-century UNESCO World Heritage monastery — the same cultural sites Russia claims it invaded Ukraine to protect. Snyder, a historian specializing in authoritarianism, argues that US missile defense aid and energy sanctions are necessary to stop these attacks, though experts disagree on whether these measures alone would force a ceasefire. The irony of Russian rhetoric versus actions is well-documented across multiple outlets, but the policy prescription itself remains contested among defense and diplomacy analysts.