Russia blames Ukraine for destroying historic Sevastopol landmark, but facts tell different story
Photo: A fire broke out at the Panorama Museum in occupied Sevastopol
A fire broke out overnight at the Panorama Museum The Siege of Sevastopol 1854-1855 in occupied Sevastopol following a strike. Russia blamed Ukraine for the destruction of the artwork. Still, in reality, Russian propaganda is manipulating the facts, according to Radio Liberty, Interfax, Krymskiy Veter, and a statement by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security (SPRAVDI).
The so-called governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, claimed that the museum building was struck by a Ukrainian drone.
He accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting the site and asserted that Franz Roubaud's "great masterpiece has been virtually destroyed."
However, the Krymskiy Veter monitoring channel reported that the fire was actually caused by Russian air defense activity. The channel's authors noted that Russian military facilities are located near the historic site.
Air raid alerts were issued four times throughout the night and morning, while two powerful explosions were heard in Sevastopol. No casualties were reported.
Kremlin reacts
"We see that the Kyiv regime has begun striking at history. But history cannot be defeated, just as it cannot be forgotten," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
He added that the site, which is "important in terms of symbolism and historical significance," would be restored and would become "better than before."
Manipulation of facts
SPRAVDI dismissed Russian claims that an outstanding artwork had been destroyed, saying Russian sources were manipulating the facts twice.
According to the center, the original 19th-century painting could not have been damaged because the canvas, restored after a 1942 fire, is stored in a different building.
Furthermore, according to the museum, the current exhibition, which is a replica, was not damaged either.
"After World War II, Russian artists simply painted a new canvas — 'better than before.' In reality, it has no artistic value. Its value is purely historical: it serves as a reminder of attempts by the imperial family to distort the events surrounding the Russian Empire's defeat in the Crimean War," the experts said.
The Siege of Sevastopol 1854-1855 panorama is dedicated to events of the Crimean War, which ended with the defeat of the Russian Empire by a coalition of the Ottoman Empire, Britain, France, and the Kingdom of Sardinia.
Under the Treaty of Paris that followed, the Black Sea was declared neutral, and Russia lost the right to maintain a military fleet there.
As previously reported, Ukrainian intelligence carried out attacks on Russian military trains in occupied Crimea. The rail convoys were used to transport ammunition, military equipment, and fuel.
In addition, shortages of certain goods have been reported in stores across the occupied peninsula, with sugar, grains, flour, and pasta disappearing from shelves. As a result, retail chains have introduced limits on the amount of food customers can purchase.
