Over 1,000 cultural heritage sites destroyed in Ukraine war

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, over a thousand cultural heritage sites and twice as many cultural institutions have been destroyed. UNESCO estimates the value of the destroyed heritage at $3.5 billion.

Ukrainians look at the site of a Russian strike that hit a residential area in Lviv the previous day, western Ukraine, 5 September 2024, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. A total of seven people died and 35 others were injured as a result of a Russian combined attack by shock drones and rockets of different types in Lviv on 04 September 2024, acco

EPA/MYKOLA TYS/PAP/EPA

Ukrainian authorities are gathering evidence of these crimes to support future legal actions against those responsible for the destruction.

Polish experts highlight that occupied areas are not only looted for museum objects but also for previously undiscovered archaeological resources.

According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, by August 2024, 1,096 heritage sites and 2,024 cultural institutions have been destroyed. There are also cases of previously damaged institutions being hit again.

Documenting the destruction is challenging in occupied territories, complicating the full assessment of losses.

War's toll on Ukraine's cultural heritage: $3.5 billion in losses

In February 2024, UNESCO estimated the value of the destroyed cultural heritage in Ukraine at $3.5 billion, including World Heritage sites like the historic centers of Lviv and Odesa.

During the Heritage Academy in Krakow, Ukrainian museum professionals participated in the Central European Heritage Forum, where they met with experts and visited Polish museums to enhance their skills in cultural heritage preservation and to develop international cooperation.

This year's forum focuses on legal issues, securing funding, and the reconstruction of destroyed heritage sites, which is particularly relevant given the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

Destruction from Russia's war on Ukraine revealed in new before and after satellite images by CBS News

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• Poland develops support plan for Lviv after attack

Source: IAR/PAP/YouTube/WION/CBS News

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