Ukraine Counts Cultural Losses: 2,000 Heritage Sites Damaged Since Russian Invasion

Since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, Ukraine has documented nearly 2,000 cultural heritage sites destroyed or damaged, including 141 museums, 906 libraries, 56 theaters, 196 art education centers, and the headquarters of the film archive. According to data released by the Ministry of Culture this week, more than 2,600 infrastructure facilities have also been hit or demolished. The figures are expected to rise as officials continue documenting losses while strengthening emergency response efforts and mobilizing resources. Anastasiia Bondar, a senior official at the Ministry of Culture, stated, "It's not just destruction; they also want to rewrite our history." Tetyana Berezhna, Deputy Prime Minister, noted that the country is "documenting the losses while reinforcing emergency response efforts and mobilizing resources." The attack on the museum dedicated to Maria Prymachenko and the impact on the film archive this summer highlight the ongoing struggle to protect Ukrainian culture. The cultural heritage losses are part of a broader Russian strategy to erase Ukrainian identity, as Bondar emphasized. The international community has been called upon to support preservation efforts.