Russia Damages 1,723 Cultural Heritage Sites and Over 2,500 Cultural Infrastructure Objects in Ukraine
As of early April 2026, the ongoing aggression by the Russian Federation has resulted in the destruction and damage of 1,723 cultural heritage sites and 2,524 cultural infrastructure objects across Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
As of early April 2026, the ongoing aggression by the Russian Federation has resulted in the destruction and damage of 1,723 cultural heritage sites and 2,524 cultural infrastructure objects across Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, as reported by Ukrinform.
According to the Ministry's data, among the damaged cultural heritage sites, 159 hold national significance, 1,403 are of local importance, and 161 have been newly identified. Tragically, 45 cultural heritage sites have been completely destroyed, marking a significant loss for Ukrainian culture.
The damage to cultural objects has been recorded in 18 regions of Ukraine. The most severe destruction has occurred in the Kharkiv region, where 349 objects have been damaged, followed by the Kherson region with 302, Odesa with 200, Donetsk with 195, and the Kyiv region and the city of Kyiv with 173.
Additionally, as a result of shelling and combat actions, 2,524 cultural infrastructure objects have been affected, with 518 of these completely destroyed. The cultural infrastructure has suffered the greatest losses in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, Kyiv, and Mykolaiv regions.
Destruction of cultural objects has been documented in 341 territorial communities throughout Ukraine. The highest levels of damage have occurred in the communities of the Donetsk region (46 territorial communities), Sumy (38 TG), Kharkiv (34 TG), Chernihiv (34 TG), Zaporizhzhia (31 TG), Mykolaiv (23 TG), Dnipropetrovsk (23 TG), Kyiv (21 TG), and Luhansk (12 TG) regions.
It is important to note that nearly the entire territory of the Luhansk region, as well as significant parts of the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson regions, are under temporary occupation. This complicates the accurate assessment of the number of cultural institutions that have been affected due to combat actions and occupation.
Previously, Ukrinform reported that the Netherlands is allocating 1 million euros to support the cultural sector in Ukraine through the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund. This initiative represents an important step in preserving cultural heritage and supporting Ukrainian culture amid the ongoing war.
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