Russia planning to destroy St. Sophia Cathedral - Tkachenko

According to Ukrinform, he announced this on Telegram.

"The Russians are going to destroy St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. They are trying to destroy all Ukrainian history, trying to appropriate it to themselves," the minister said.

According to Tkachenko, Russia's war against Ukraine, which has been going on for six days, has already led to a number of war crimes - shelling of children's institutions, hospitals, housing estates and other civilian objects in Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kyiv and many other cities. Among them are cultural heritage sites.

An hour ago, the Russian Defense Ministry announced its intention to bomb "objects of the Security Service of Ukraine" in the center of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

"These criminal intentions pose a threat to the people and shrines of Kyiv. A few dozen meters from the stated target of the bombing is the St. Sophia Cathedral with mosaics and frescoes of the 11th century. This unique architectural monument is included in the World Heritage List. Any damage to or destruction of the cathedral caused by Russia will be an irreparable loss for all mankind," he said.

According to Tkachenko, "a letter has already been sent to UNESCO." "We call on the world community to intervene in the situation and help break UNESCO's silence in order to save St. Sophia Cathedral from the threat of destruction."