The war in Ukraine is also the destruction of cultural heritage. At least 53 cultural sites have been damaged in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, UNESCO reports on Friday April 1.
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Among these sites are 29 religious sites, 16 historic buildings, four museums and four monuments, the damage of which Unesco was able to verify by satellite imagery and actors on the spot. A spokesperson for Unesco specifies that this list “is not exhaustive”.
In Lviv, one of the most important cities in the west of the country, the statues are carefully wrapped to protect them from bombs. Lviv’s state museums house 14% of all of Ukraine’s cultural heritage, according to the city hall. The city, whose center is listed as a UNESCO heritage site, has protected its treasures. The four statues in the town hall square representing Roman deities have been covered, covered with foam and fireproof fabric. The national museum has also sheltered its 4,000 icons.
In Odessa, a strategic port but also a cultural gem, the authorities are also trying to preserve the heritage: the opera, the national theatre, the Vorontsov palace, the statue of Catherine II and its museums.