Odesa region is among the leaders in the number of cultural heritage monuments destroyed by Russians

The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine (MCSC) has counted the number of cultural heritage monuments and cultural infrastructure facilities in the south of Ukraine.

According to the ministry, a total of 18 regions were damaged.

The most damaged sites were in Kharkiv region - 336, Kherson - 289, Odesa - 179, Donetsk - 173, Kyiv region and the city of Kyiv - 111.

Cultural infrastructure suffered the greatest losses in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, and Sumy regions.

In total, the following were affected:

• clubs - 1147;
• libraries - 830;
• art education institutions - 180;
• museums and galleries - 129;
• theaters, cinemas and philharmonic societies - 49;
• nature reserves - 9;
• parks, zoos - 10;
• circuses - 4.

In total, 1,528 cultural heritage monuments and 2,359 cultural infrastructure facilities were reported destroyed or damaged in Ukraine.

However, these estimates were made before July 21, and on the night of July 24, Odesa was again attacked by Russian attack drones. Despite the work of the air defense forces, the debris and explosions caused widespread destruction, fires, and injuries to civilians.

A nine-story residential building sustained the most damage. In one of the entrances, apartments from the 5th to the 8th floor were completely destroyed, and fires broke out on the 5th and 6th floors. Five people were rescued from the blocked apartments, and 33 others were evacuated. Later, the body of a dead man was recovered from the rubble of the 9-story building.

The city also recorded damage to architectural monuments in the historic center, which is protected by UNESCO. At least three people have been reported injured.

Кирило Бойко