Ukraine collaborates with Interpol to recover thousands of looted cultural artifacts from Russian forces

Ukraine is collaborating with Interpol to track down thousands of cultural treasures that were stolen by Russian troops amid the ongoing conflict. After Kherson was reclaimed in late 2022, Alina Dotsenko, the museum director, found that a significant portion of the Kherson Art Museum's collection, which includes over 14,000 pieces, had been largely taken away. Evidence from videos and Dotsenko's testimony suggests that these artworks were moved to Crimea, which Russia has annexed. The whereabouts of almost 10,000 items, such as Ivan Shulha's 1932 piece 'Fishermen on the seashore,' remain uncertain. Russia has solidified its claim over the appropriated collections by incorporating 77 Ukrainian museums from occupied areas into its national catalogue. Ukraine is voicing concerns about cultural theft as Russia prepares to attend next month's Venice Biennale for the first time since 2022, emphasizing that the event should not serve as a means to obscure war crimes against Ukrainian cultural heritage.