EU Sanctions Hermitage Director Mikhail Piotrovsky Over Ukraine War Support
On April 23, the European Union imposed sanctions on Mikhail Piotrovsky, who directs the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, as part of its 20th sanctions round. Piotrovsky has been a vocal supporter of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and is seen as a close ally of Vladimir Putin. The EU's documents criticize his statements linking Russian culture to the military action and his backing of laws that allow for the seizure of Ukrainian cultural items. Additionally, three other cultural officials involved in excavations in Crimea are also facing sanctions. On April 28, Mikhail Shvydkoy, Putin's cultural envoy, indicated that these sanctions represent a significant blow to Europe and announced Russia's return to the Venice Biennale after the 2022 invasion.
Key facts
- EU adopted 20th sanctions package on 23 April, targeting Mikhail Piotrovsky.
- Piotrovsky is director of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
- He is sanctioned for being a close associate of Putin and supporting Russia's war in Ukraine.
- EU cites his backing of legislation to incorporate Ukrainian museum items into Russia's State Museum Fund.
- He supported unauthorized archaeological excavations in occupied Crimea.
- Three other cultural officials implicated in Crimean digs are also sanctioned.
- Mikhail Shvydkoy called the sanctions 'an even higher form of recognition' on 28 April.
- Hermitage archaeologist Alexander Butyagin was released by Poland in a prisoner exchange on 28 April.
Entities
Artists
- Mikhail Piotrovsky
- Mikhail Shvydkoy
- Alexander Butyagin
- Vladimir Putin
Institutions
- State Hermitage Museum
- European Union
- Tass
- The Art Newspaper
- Venice Biennale
- Interfax
- Rossiiskaya Gazeta
Locations
- St. Petersburg
- Russia
- Ukraine
- Crimea
- Poland
- Belarus
- Moscow
- Venice
- East Germany