In Ukraine, 1,612 cultural heritage sites destroyed or damaged since start of full-scale war
As of October 25, due to Russia’s full-scale aggression, 1,612 cultural heritage monuments and 2,427 cultural infrastructure facilities have been destroyed or damaged in Ukraine.
According to Ukrinform, the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine stated this on its website.
Among the damaged cultural heritage sites, 149 are of national significance, 1,311 are of local significance, and 152 are newly identified.
Damage has been recorded in 18 regions and in Kyiv. The greatest destruction occurred in Kharkiv region – 342 sites, Kherson region – 294, Odesa region – 182, Donetsk region – 173, and Kyiv region together with Kyiv city – 156.
In addition, as a result of shelling and hostilities, 2,427 cultural infrastructure facilities have been affected, 493 of which were completely destroyed.
The greatest losses to cultural infrastructure were recorded in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Sumy, and Mykolaiv regions.
Damaged facilities include 1,180 cultural centers, 852 libraries, 186 art education institutions, 134 museums and galleries, 50 theaters, cinemas, and philharmonic halls, nine nature or history reserves, 11 parks and zoos, four circuses, and a film studio in Kyiv.
Destruction has been documented in 327 territorial communities across Ukraine. The highest numbers were recorded in Donetsk (46 communities), Sumy (37), Kharkiv (33), Chernihiv (31), Zaporizhzhia (29), Mykolaiv (23), Dnipropetrovsk (22), Kyiv (21), and Luhansk (12) regions.
The statement noted that almost all of Luhansk region and significant parts of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson regions remain occupied by Russian forces, making it impossible to accurately determine the total number of damaged cultural facilities.
In response to the widespread destruction caused by Russian aggression, the Ministry of Culture, together with international partners, established the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund. The mission of the fund is to mobilize international and national resources for the protection, restoration, and development of Ukrainian cultural heritage and culture as a foundation of identity, democracy, and European belonging.
"The ministry and its partners continue to work together to overcome the consequences of destruction and to restore Ukraine’s cultural potential," the statement added.
As Ukrinform reported, Ukraine has received the first contributions to the recently launched Cultural Heritage Fund.
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