Crimes against cultural heritage recorded in Crimea

In occupied Crimea, Russians systematically destroy cultural monuments and use them for military purposes. In addition, they restrict Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar education, persecute journalists and export historical values from the peninsula.

This was reported by Krym.Realii.

The UNESCO Executive Board has decided to continue monitoring the situation in the annexed Crimea. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, this is due to the destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage by Russia and other violations of rights on the peninsula.

According to the UNESCO Director-General's report, World Heritage sites, in particular the Ancient City of Chersonesos Tavriya and its Chora, have been particularly affected. Denys Yashnyi, head of the monitoring group of the Crimean Institute for Strategic Studies, noted that the cultural heritage of Crimea has been systematically destroyed since 2014: Russians have been appropriating sites, conducting illegal archaeological excavations and so-called restorations, and using the monuments for military purposes. The western coast of Crimea has been turned into a system of trenches running through historical sites.

The Chersonesos Tavriya Museum-Reserve has been subjected to EU sanctions, and the Russian "governor" called it "savagery." The expert explains that UNESCO has no tools for the physical protection of monuments and cannot send a monitoring mission without the consent of Russia.

In addition to cultural heritage, the organization records violations of the rights of Crimean Tatars, illegal persecution of journalists, restrictions on education in Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar, violations of freedom of religion and other human rights. Andriy Shchekun of the Crimean Ukrainian Regional Council notes that Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar education in Crimea has been almost destroyed, and the national identity of Ukrainians on the peninsula has been virtually destroyed.

Shchekun criticizes the fact that Russia remains a member of UNESCO and believes that its expulsion would be an important step to bring it to justice. In his opinion, Russia uses its membership in the organization to legitimize itself and influence global perceptions.

According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian structures have taken at least 178 cultural property from the occupied Crimea, including more than 140 archaeological artifacts and 37 museum exhibits from the Stone Grave monument, which were transported to the Chersonesos Tavriya Museum.

Crimea is also actively buying old mansions and other historic buildings along the waterfront, where a yacht marina is being built. Some of them have already been removed from the list of cultural heritage monuments, allowing new construction to begin on the coast.

Анна Бальчінос