UNESCO to send mission to Odesa: Destruction of cultural sites is war crime

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — Monday, 24 July 2023, 00:17

THE HOUSE OF SCIENTISTS IN ODESA AFTER A RUSSIAN ATTACK. PHOTO BY PETRO OBUKHOV

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has condemned the Russian missile attack on the historic centre of Odesa and will send a mission to the city in the coming days to conduct a preliminary damage assessment.

Source: UNESCO website

Quote: "UNESCO is deeply dismayed and condemns in the strongest terms the brazen attack carried out by the Russian forces, which hit several cultural sites in the city center of Odesa, home to the World Heritage property ‘The Historic Centre of Odesa’."

Details: It is noted that the attack damaged a number of important cultural sites, including the Transfiguration Cathedral, the first and most important Orthodox church in Odesa, founded in 1794.

Quote from Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director General: "This outrageous destruction marks an escalation of violence against cultural heritage of Ukraine. I strongly condemn this attack against culture, and I urge the Russian Federation to take meaningful action to comply with its obligations under international law, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the 1972 World Heritage Convention."

More details: It is noted that UNESCO will continue to cooperate with the managers of World Heritage sites, local and national authorities to identify urgent assistance needs.

In the coming days, UNESCO will send a mission to Odesa to conduct a preliminary damage assessment.

Quote: "Intentional destruction of cultural sites may amount to a war crime, as acknowledged also by the United Nations Security Council – of which the Russian Federation is a permanent member – in Resolution 2347 (2017)."

Background:

On the night of 22-23 July, the Russians fired 19 missiles of various types at Odesa Oblast, including five Oniks missiles. Air defence forces shot down nine missiles.
The Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa was destroyed.
That night, 25 architectural monuments in the historic centre of Odesa, which is under UNESCO protection, were damaged.

The attack left one person dead and 20 injured, including 4 children. The building of the Greek consulate was damaged.

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