Odesa Fine Arts Museum assesses damage after Russian missile attack
The Odesa Fine Arts Museum has completed the damage assessment after the latest Russian missile attack on Odesa. The museum staff cleaned up the aftermath of an attack – shuttered glass, pieces of plaster on the walls, and destruction in the administrative building, which is the closest to the point of the missile strike.
The blast wave caused the most damage to the doors and window frames in the museum building. Most are authentic, laid during construction at the beginning of the 19th century.
The shuttered windows in the museum have already been covered with plywood blocks. The next small goal is to get the roof in order and be ready for the first rain.
Everything that can be found, museum workers carefully put in plastic containers. Parts of the portico, fence, and glass are kept separately there. Separately, a container with the remains of a Russian missile, without which all the previous containers would not be needed.
Kateryna Kulai, the head of the museum, speaks about the completed works: "During this time, we have hosted commissions, restorers and builders. We had an international organisation that helped us understand what valuable elements were damaged. And this cleaning is in full swing right now."
The most valuable items – paintings – have already been shown to restorers. They have not been seriously damaged, the museum states.
"The document has been drawn up, and now we will start preventive work. Not restoration, but preventive works, which will prepare the collection for the continuation of this exhibition," explains Kyrylo Lipatov, scientific head of the scientific and exhibition department.
The management of the museum aims to open it to visitors at the beginning of December.
Missile attack
On the night of 6 November, Russia attacked the southern oblasts of Ukraine using Oniks, Iskander-M, Kh-31P and Kh-59 missiles and drones. Fifteen drones were successfully destroyed, but there were also hits. One of the missiles fell in the centre of Odesa, fifty metres from the Fine Arts Museum, creating a large crater. The shockwave damaged the doors and windows of the museum, but its staff were unharmed. At the time of the attack, the main collection of the museum was safely stored. On 7 November, the museum planned to celebrate its 124th anniversary, and the following exhibitions were scheduled in its halls:
- "Sunset Sun/Sol occidens" by Margit and Roman Selsky from the collection of Eduard Dymshits
- "Flowers behind spoil tips" by Boris Eisenberg
- Works by Oleksandr Hrekhov
- "Black Sea" by Stas Zhalobniuk
- "Joy" by Volodymyr Semkiv
- "Altar of the Heavenly Army" by Albina Yaloza
- "Large meadows, abundant grasses" by Kinder Album
Read also: Crater nearby and damaged paintings: aftermath of Russian attacks on Odesa Fine Arts Museum
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