Spox for Ukraine’s MFA questions why UNESCO finds it difficult to describe attacks on cultural heritage as “Russian attacks”

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi criticized UNESCO for refusing to label the attack that damaged the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra as Russian.

The diplomat wrote about this on the social media platform X, according to Ukrinform.

“Absurd. An organization responsible for protecting cultural heritage doesn’t even know who it’s protecting it from. Why is it so hard to simply say ‘Russian strike’? Unfortunately, under the leadership of Director-General Khaled El-Enany, UNESCO continues to demonstrate a lack of leadership, weakness, and an inability to fulfill its mandate,” noted the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In its press release, UNESCO condemned attacks on cultural heritage sites, specifically the shelling of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra on the night of June 15, without mentioning the aggressor country.

“UNESCO condemns the shelling on June 15 that damaged the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra—a component of the World Heritage site ‘Kyiv: Saint Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”—one of Ukraine’s most important spiritual and cultural landmarks,” the organization stated.

It is noted that, according to reports, the strike caused significant damage to the exterior and interior of the Assumption Cathedral, and nearby historic structures were also affected, including parts of the monastery’s defensive complex and the Ivan Kushchnyk Tower.

“UNESCO condemns attacks on cultural heritage sites, educational institutions, students, education workers, and media representatives, who are protected under international law,” the press release states.

The organization noted that damaging such institutions deprives communities of access to culture, education, and shared spaces, which are “extremely important for recovery and social cohesion.”

UNESCO has assured that it stands ready to assist the relevant authorities in assessing the damage caused to cultural and educational institutions, as well as in identifying urgent measures.

As reported by Ukrinform, as a result of a massive Russian attack on June 15, UNESCO World Heritage sites, monuments of national significance, museums, cultural institutions, and arts education facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro were damaged.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, while visiting the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, assured that the sites damaged by the Russian strike would be restored.

The National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO strongly condemned yet another Russian strike, which damaged the grounds of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra—a UNESCO World Heritage Site.