In Odesa, more than sixty monuments of cultural heritage were damaged by rocket attacks

In Odesa, the problem of preservation of cultural heritage objects in the conditions of armed aggression of the Russian Federation is urgent. Objects of architectural heritage and monuments of history and monumental art are destroyed during rocket attacks by the occupiers. This became known from the “Program of socio-economic and cultural development of the Odesa region for 2023 and the main directions of development for 2024-2025”, which was approved by the regional council on August 4 during an extraordinary session, the “South.Today” news agency reports.

Only during the second half of July, 64 monuments of cultural heritage, located within the world heritage site “Historic Center of Odessa” and its buffer zone in the very heart of the city, were destroyed. These are buildings with a long history that have been decorating the central streets and squares of Odessa for more than one hundred to one hundred and fifty years. Seven monuments received significant damage: these are destroyed roofs, mutilated prominent facades and the original carved filling of window openings, broken panes. Partial damage was recorded on nineteen objects, minor damage was recorded on 38 objects.

Cultural institutions irreplaceable for the country suffered: Odesa Literary Museum, Odesa Historical and Local History Museum, Odesa Navy Museum, Odesa Academic Theater of Musical Comedy named after M. Vodiany, Odesa Regional Theater of the Young Spectator, Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art, Odesa State Music Lyceum named after Stolyarsky, House of Scientists, Literary Museum, Museum of the Navy,

The Museum of Western and Eastern Art, the House of Scientists, etc. The largest Orthodox church in Odessa, the Transfiguration Cathedral, which was founded in 1795, destroyed by the Bolshevik Soviet government in 1940, and rebuilt at the beginning of the 21st century on the old site – on Sobornaya, suffered significant destruction. square On the night of July 23, a Russian rocket hit the altar of the building, destroyed the ceiling, and mutilated the interior of the church.

Representatives of the international organizations UNESCO, ICOM and ICOMOS visited Odesa with a mission to assess the damage caused by the Russian Federation to cultural and religious objects.

Based on the results of the processing of the received materials, the international mission will draw conclusions and provide recommendations regarding the elimination of the consequences of the Russian attacks, as well as attract appropriate financial assistance.