MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied that Russia struck the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odessa, saying it was destroyed by a Ukrainian air defense missile.

"Our armed forces never strike social infrastructure facilities, let alone temples, churches and other such structures, so we do not accept such accusations. They are absolute lies," he said.

According to the spokesman, "what happened was air defense missiles were fired, and they were the ones that destroyed the temple."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said earlier that the Russia had attacked UNESCO-protected religious sites and buildings in Odessa overnight into July 23.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Odessa Transfiguration Cathedral was most probably destroyed as a Ukrainian air defense missile crashed into it due to incompetence of Ukrainian air defense forces.