Russia damaged 346 cultural objects in Ukraine

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recorded damage to 346 cultural sites in Ukraine as a result of the war as of March 2024. This was stated by the head of the UNESCO Bureau in Ukraine, Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, at the presentation and expert discussion “Analysis and synchronization of Ukrainian legislation in the field of cultural heritage protection”: “We are all witnesses of constant attacks on cultural heritage sites. As of today, UNESCO already verified damage to 346 cultural objects in Ukraine”.

UNESCO has repeatedly officially condemned Russian attacks on cultural heritage (including objects on the World Cultural Heritage list) and reminded that, according to international law, the intentional destruction of cultural objects can be qualified as a war crime.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, as of February 25, 2024, 1,946 objects of cultural infrastructure were damaged in Ukraine (not including monuments of cultural heritage). 317 of them were destroyed.