94 Warcrimes – culture
- Ukraine is bombing its own cultural heritage
- Ukrainian cultural heritage is a legitimate target for russian bombing
Russian bombing of Ukrainian cultural assets is an act of genocide
Under Article 53 of the Protocol “it is prohibited: to commit any acts of hostility directed against the historic monuments, works of art or places of worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of peoples”. Given the huge number of russian genocidal attacks on Ukrainian culture, we can only list few example here.
94.1 UNESCO cultural heritage
On July 23, 2023, Russia launched 19 missiles at the southern city of Odesa. The attack damaged 29 objects of the cultural heritage of national and local significance, particularly those located within the UNESCO-protected historical center of Odesa. Due to the enemy attack, the buildings of the 19th and 20th centuries were damaged Russian shelling severely damaged the UNESCO-protected Transfiguration Cathedral, one of the biggest and oldest in Odesa. 6
94.2 Monasteries
94.3 Churches
On 2 March 2022, the oldest Orthodox church in Kharkiv, was severely damaged7.
94.4 Museums
On May 7, 2022, the Russian army shelled the Literary Memorial Museum of Hryhorii Skovoroda in the Kharkiv region, and the fire engulfed the entire museum. 8
94.5 Kindergardens
94.6 Schools
94.7 Universities
94.8 Libraries
94.9 Publishers
94.10 Artists
94.11 Theaters
94.12 Operas
94.13 Concert halls
Rundfunk, B. (2022, June 9). Zerstörte Bildungslandschaft: Ukrainische Hochschulen unter Beschuss. Bayerischer Rundfunk. [Destroyed educational landscape: Ukrainian universities under attack.] https://www.br.de/fernsehen/ard-alpha/sendungen/campus/ukraine-universitaeten-zerstoert-krieg-100.html↩︎
Knoche, M. (2024). Immer wieder Angriffe auf Bibliotheken im Krieg Russlands gegen die Ukraine. Aus Der ForschungsBibliothek Krekelborn. https://doi.org/10.58079/vv4n↩︎
Russische Raketen treffen Großdruckerei in Charkiw. [ Russian missiles hit large printing plant in Kharkiv] (2024b, May 24). Börsenblatt. https://www.boersenblatt.net/news/verlage-news/russische-raketen-treffen-grossdruckerei-charkiw-333107↩︎
The Destruction of Ukrainian Cultural Heritage during Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion in 2022 | Sciences Po CERI. (2022, March 11). Tous Droits Réservés CERI. https://www.sciencespo.fr/ceri/en/content/dossiersduceri/destruction-ukrainian-cultural-heritage-during-russia-s-full-scale-invasion-2022↩︎
Hall, S. A. (2022, March 1). Kharkiv opera house and concert hall hit in attack on Ukraine’s second largest city. Classic FM. https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/kharkiv-opera-house-concert-hall-ukraine-attacks/↩︎
Russian missile attack damaged 29 objects in Odesa’s historic center. (2023, July 24). Russia’s War in Ukraine. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://war.ukraine.ua/crimes/russia-damaged-29-objects-in-odesa-including-transfiguration-cathedral/↩︎
Holy Dormition Cathedral. (n.d.). Ukrainian Institute. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from [https://ui.org.ua/en/postcard/holy-dormition-cathedral/#:](https://ui.org.ua/en/postcard/holy-dormition-cathedral/#:)~:text=On%20March%202nd%2C%202022%2C%20the,stained%20glass%20windows%20were%20destroyed↩︎
Hryhorii Skovoroda Museum. (n.d.). Ukrainian Institute. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://ui.org.ua/en/postcard/hryhorii-skovoroda-museum-en/↩︎