Russia annexes four Ukrainian regions: cultural heritage at risk

Vladimir Putin signed treaties at the Kremlin annexing the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia to Russia, following referendums whose validity was rejected by Ukraine and the international community. This adds to Crimea, annexed in 2014. The annexation places the cultural heritage of these regions under Russian jurisdiction, raising urgent concerns for museums, artworks, and historical artifacts. In Zaporizhzhia, the director of the Melitopol Museum of Local History, Leila Ibrahimova, was reportedly abducted by Russian troops seeking Scythian gold artifacts; the museum was later placed under the directorship of Evgeny Gorlachev. In Donetsk, the Mariupol Museum of Folk Traditions was destroyed, and works by painter Arkhip Kuindzhi were lost or stolen, including his eponymous museum in a Liberty-style building. Luhansk holds a collection of Polovtsian stone statues ("stone babas") from the 9th century. Kherson has archaeological treasures in its local history and regional art museums. The annexation threatens the preservation and ownership of these cultural assets.