Russians destroying Tauric Chersonese
Photo: Russians continue to destroy historical monuments in Crimea (wikimedia.org)
Russia continues to destroy history. This time, the enemy has targeted the historical and archaeological site in Crimea - the Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora, according to Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets.
Lubinets appeals to the UN over Russian destruction of Tauric Chersonese
"Addressed the UN regarding Russia's destruction of Tauric Chersonese! This is another crime by the aggressor country and the destruction of Ukraine's cultural heritage. We need the international community's response, as history is being destroyed before our eyes!" said Lubinets.
He reminded that the Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a unique historical and archaeological monument in Crimea.
"Since 2014, Russia has begun a large-scale operation to destroy Ukrainian cultural heritage. For almost 10 years, there has been no reaction to this crime - historical monuments have disappeared without a trace, and the world remained silent," added the Ukrainian Ombudsman.
Lubinets explained that the Russians have now completely destroyed the authentic World Heritage site of Tauric Chersonese. Instead, they have started illegal construction on the ruins of Chersonesus, creating a new city - a so-called historical and archaeological park.
According to the Ombudsman, Russian builders have fenced off archaeological remains that were on the surface with viewing platforms, moved and rebuilt several excavated objects elsewhere.
An amphitheater has been constructed on the site of the ancient citadel, which produces a load on the original structure. Meanwhile, many archaeological finds have been stolen by Russia and taken to Russian museums.
"Russia must be held accountable for the destruction of cultural heritage under international law! As well as for the theft of museum exhibits that Russia is extensively taking out from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine! The aggressor country must be obliged to return the stolen items!" he emphasized.
We reported earlier that excavations of the Ukrainian national monument at the site of the ancient Greek city of Chersonesus continue in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Meanwhile, the National Resistance Center of Ukraine reported that at the beginning of the month, the occupation administration of the museum was preparing "acts of transfer for restoration for further exhibition outside the museum" for 300,000 exhibits from the Chersonese's collections.
