Nearly 500 Ukrainian cultural sites damaged by Russia - EU commissioner
Russia is destroying Ukraine's cultural heritage (Getty Images)
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearly 500 cultural sites have been damaged. This was reported by EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef during a press briefing in Brussels.
Micallef, citing UNESCO, stated that Russian attacks have already damaged 485 cultural sites to date.
"Estimates for recovery and reconstruction needs in the culture and tourism sectors alone have already exceeded nine billion euros," he said.
Moreover, according to him, the attacks have not been limited to Ukraine's tangible cultural heritage.
"Organized disinformation campaigns are constantly targeting Ukraine's intangible cultural heritage. This is a barbaric attack on Ukrainian sovereignty. It is a deliberate decision to undermine the identity, unity, and morale of Ukraine and its people," Micallef emphasized.
In turn, Ukraine's Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, Mykola Tochytskyi, stated that Russia has damaged or completely destroyed 2,333 cultural infrastructure sites. A total of 1,482 cultural heritage objects have been destroyed in Ukraine, including:
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historical monuments,
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churches,
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theaters,
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museums,
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libraries.
"Many of them are of national or even global significance, including UNESCO cultural heritage sites such as Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv and the historic center of Odesa, which was damaged again just two days ago. And of course, the Derzhprom building in Kharkiv, which has been attacked multiple times during these three and a half years of war," Tochytskyi noted.
Officials announced the creation of the Ukraine Heritage Response Fund — a coordination mechanism aimed at long-term support for the preservation and restoration of Ukraine's cultural heritage.
Its official presentation is scheduled to take place at the Ukraine Recovery Conference on July 10–11, 2025, in Rome.
Russia is destroying Ukraine's cultural heritage
Several years ago, Russian missiles struck the historic center of Odesa. In particular, the Transfiguration Cathedral was partially destroyed.
At the time, UNESCO strongly condemned the Russian attack on cultural sites in central Odesa, where the World Heritage Site "Historic Center of Odesa" is located.
In addition, as Tochytskyi previously reported, around 2 million cultural valuables are currently under occupation.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, Ukraine's parliament disclosed what is preventing the full protection of the country's cultural heritage sites.
