Ministry of Culture and Information Policy has recorded more than 240 Russian war crimes against cultural heritage in Ukraine
OLENA BARSUKOVA, UKRAINSKA PRAVDA LIFE, 23 April, 2022
At least 242 instances of Russian occupiers' war crimes against cultural heritage have been documented in Ukraine.
For example, Russian invaders recently fired rockets at the island of Khortytsia, where the Museum of the History of the Zaporozhzhian Cossacks is located, according to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy.
In Kyiv region, the early 20th-century building of the Makariv Public Library was also damaged, and in Kharkiv region, the historic 1925 Teachers' House was damaged by shelling.
"We are documenting each instance and forming a detailed database of the Russian army's atrocities against cultural heritage. All materials will be used as evidence in criminal cases against war criminals.
The aggressor will not be able to break the Ukrainian spirit. After all, the whole world is already admiring our strength, courage and sincere desire to defend our land and freedom," said Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko.
Photo: Odesa City Council. Residents of Odesa are saving the monument from Russian occupiers.
A total of 94 cultural heritage sites in Ukraine have been destroyed or damaged.
This includes 16 monuments of national importance, 72 of local importance and 6 newly discovered cultural heritage sites.
Religious sites have suffered the most from the activities of the Russian occupiers.
The Russians have destroyed or damaged 92 buildings, including Orthodox churches, Protestant houses of worship, mosques and synagogues.
Notably, 35 of them are registered as monuments of history, architecture and urban planning.
The Russian occupiers have also damaged or destroyed:
- 29 memorials dedicated to historical figures and events of the 19th to early 21st centuries;
- 19 museums, nature reserves and areas of cultural interest;
- 33 community halls, theatres and libraries, etc.
In total, Russian crimes against the cultural heritage of Ukraine have been recorded in the capital and 11 other regions.
Cultural heritage has suffered the most losses in these regions:
- Kharkiv - 84 instances;
- Donetsk - 45;
- Kyiv region - 38;
- Chernihiv - 24;
- Luhansk - 17;
- Sumy - 14.
5 instances of war crimes were also recorded in Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr regions and the city of Kyiv, 1 each in Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions, and 3 instances in Kherson region.
"Difficulties remain in obtaining information about destruction in the temporarily occupied territories and areas of active hostilities. But Ukrainians continue to report such events," said the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy.
We would like to remind you that if you have witnessed the destruction of cultural heritage by Russian invaders, you can help record this crime through this platform.
Subsequently, this information, as well as photo and video evidence provided by Ukrainians, will be used at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
