The cultural heritage of Ukraine continues to suffer irreparable losses as a result of Russian aggression. As of the end of December 2024, 1,255 monuments in 18 regions of Ukraine were damaged, of which 125 are of national importance. In addition, the new year began with another attack, which damaged landmarks in the center of Kyiv, including the building of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine (NSPU), which is an important element of the government quarter of the capital.
The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine noted that the most affected facilities were in Kharkiv, Kherson, Donetsk and Odesa regions. Kharkiv lost 324 monuments, Kherson — 180, and Donetsk region — 164. Kyiv and the Kyiv region were also not left out of the attention of the aggressor, where 83 objects of cultural heritage were damaged.
Destruction in the temporarily occupied regions, in particular in the Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions, where accurate accounting of damaged monuments is impossible due to lack of access, is particularly important.
The Ministry of Culture emphasizes that the full extent of the destruction will be assessed only after the de-occupation of these territories. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities actively record and document every case of damage to cultural objects, with the aim of their further restoration after the end of the war.
Russian attacks on the cultural heritage of Ukraine are not only a violation of the international laws of war, but also a criminal offense against the world's cultural heritage. Restoration of the destroyed monuments will be an important part of the post-war reconstruction of the country.
