A special ceremony was held at the National Kyiv-Pechersk Preserve to introduce a distinctive initiative to bring back a tradition of Ukrainian military icons. The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine supports the project.

The initiative to revive the Lavra School of Iconography started in 2024 to rejuvenate the ancient practice of Baroque iconography that has fueled the spirits of warriors for centuries. 

Within the framework of this initiative, it is planned to craft and present an icon for each combat brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the event, the icons were blessed by Avraamii, the vicegerent of the Holy Dormition Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, who stressed the importance of spiritual support in times of war. 

The sanctified icons were handed over to three AFU Brigades: the 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade “Polissia”, the 96th Anti-aircraft Missile Brigade “Kyivska”, and the Separate Presidential Brigade “Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi”. 

Depicted in the icons for three military brigades are the patron saints of warriors, particularly the Archangel Michael, considered the heavenly protector of the Ukrainian army. Icon-painters Liliia Belska and Yurii Huzenko spent several months working on these icons, reproducing the authentic techniques of 18th-century Lavra icon-painting while incorporating national and sacred symbols. The icons were crafted in line with the military units' heraldry.