Destruction of cultural heritage sites in Ukraine as a tool of the imperialist policy of the Russian Federation

The Russo-Ukrainian war has been ongoing for more than a decade, and the overall historical resistance to the subjugation of the Ukrainian people dates back to the Pereiaslav Council in the mid-17th century. One manifestation of the Russian Federation's imperialist policy, which continues after four centuries of chauvinistic imperialism, is the destruction of cultural centers and heritage sites of the Ukrainian people, along with the imposition of all things Russian. This is happening for several reasons: the symbolic destruction of national identity, control over the historical narrative of «brotherly nations» demoralization of the population, economic damage, and pressure on international historical organizations. To analyze the methods employed in the modern Russo-Ukrainian war, Ukrainian historians have studied Russia's past to understand that the tools used centuries ago remain unchanged. For instance, in the book Ban Ruscism, researchers claim: «The authorities of Muscovy purposefully acted to deprive Ukrainians of their historical memory and national identity, using various forms and methods of influence, such as the removal of documents and books from monasteries and churches, concealment and falsification of sources, constructing historical development schemes, and manipulating the true history of Rus' to suit their own ideological needs» Thus, by depriving the people of their inherent historical memory, Russians stripped Ukrainians of their national identity, as this is one of the attributes of the northern neighbor's expansionist policy. During Ukraine’s time in the Russian Empire, the authorities sought to drain Ukrainian culture, direct Ukrainian talents toward building the empire, and if this was impossible, to physically destroy them. This comprehensive approach was applied not only against Ukraine but also to other conquered lands, and the trend of using these methods can be observed in the 21st century.

As of 2024, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine continues to document damage to cultural heritage sites resulting from Russian aggression. According to information provided by regional and Kyiv city military administrations, as of June this year, the total number of affected cultural heritage sites is 1,085:

1. Of national significance – 121,

2. Of local significance – 884,

3. Recently discovered – 80. According to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, the Kharkiv region has the highest number of damaged cultural sites—307. Currently, almost the entire territory of Luhansk and significant parts of the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson regions remain temporarily occupied, making it impossible to calculate the exact number of damaged cultural heritage sites affected by hostilities and occupation.

   
   

Another motive for the destruction of Ukrainian heritage is the appropriation of artworks. For instance, after the occupation of Mariupol, Russian forces stole and transported more than 2,000 unique exhibits from Mariupol museums to Donetsk. The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) launched a section called «Stolen Heritage» as part of the project «War and Art» So far, 245 cultural objects stolen by the Russians have been recorded. In January 2023, The New York Times reported that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Russians have stolen tens of thousands of pieces of art from Ukraine, including artifacts that are thousands of years old. The theft of such exhibits is aimed at undermining Ukraine's identity by erasing its millennia-old history. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, some museums, with the support of the National Police, moved their exhibits to secret locations. For example, three museums in Odesa began preparing in January to evacuate their collections to western Ukraine under the guise of exhibitions. Special «red lists» of exhibits for evacuation in case of an attack were drawn up.

In early March 2022, Fedir Androshchuk, director of the National Museum of History of Ukraine in Kyiv, reported that four museums in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Sumy, and Chernihiv had removed their main exhibits from display and secured their protection. Additionally, the museum in Vinnytsia is partially used as housing for displaced persons. Details of the campaign to protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage remain confidential, but it covers museums, archives, galleries, libraries, and other institutions across the country. According to Bloomberg, this campaign is one of the largest in modern history and resembles similar measures in Europe during World War II.

Russian military aggression against Ukraine is accompanied by systematic destruction and theft of historical monuments and cultural heritage. This is aimed not only at the physical destruction of objects but also at the eradication of the national identity and historical memory of the Ukrainian people. The theft of thousands of artworks from museums, the destruction of churches, architectural ensembles, and cultural institutions are direct acts of cultural genocide. These actions aim to undermine Ukraine’s cultural and national heritage, causing long-term harm to Ukrainian society and its historical legacy. The international community must unite efforts to protect and restore Ukraine’s cultural objects, as well as hold accountable those responsible for these crimes.