Ukraine itself must inform UNESCO about those Russian violations in Crimea that the Ministry of Culture can record

In the settlement of Chersonesos in Crimea, the occupiers carry out large-scale transformations that are not provided for by any international regulatory acts. Ukraine should inform UNESCO about the relevant crimes of Russia against cultural monuments on the peninsula.

This was announced by Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy Kateryna Czueva on the show “The Crimean Question”.

"In general, this kind of work in the occupied territories is not provided for by any international normative acts, and we understand that in reality there is an arbitrary interference with nature, with the landscape, with the objects themselves, which are currently still on the World Heritage List", she said.

The deputy head of the Ministry of Culture hopes that the damage will not lead to Chersonesos being entered on this List under threat or being completely excluded from it.

Since 2014, Ukraine has supported communication with UNESCO regarding Russia's violation of cultural monuments in occupied Crimea. At the same time, Ukrainian state and international organizations can register significant violations only remotely.

The main contact with this international organization concerned the possibility of organizing a mission to the peninsula to check the condition of those cultural heritage sites that were on the previous List, eg in Bakhchisaray.

“But unfortunately, today it remains unattainable. Therefore, Ukraine must independently inform UNESCO about violations that we observe, we can register - so remotely. Well, it is appropriate to conduct negotiations on further sanctions against Russia and possible consequences for the cessation of such interference with objects on the territory of Ukraine,” she noted.

According to Chueva, data on significant violations are collected by the prosecutor's office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which is assisted by experts from the "Crimean Platform" network, as well as public and scientific organizations.

“Information about damaged objects in the occupied territory is being collected, which is available to the Ukrainian authorities and social activists. If they are involved in such processes, they try to help by collecting information. Therefore, unfortunately, the format of remote work, which can be used in some territories, remains the only possible one for civil authorities, and some monitoring, also remote, is carried out by UNESCO,' she said.

What is known about the objects of cultural heritage of Ukraine in the Crimea

• During the first two years of occupation, the Russian Federation appropriated all objects of Ukrainian cultural heritage located in the occupied Crimea. These objects constitute 10% of all monuments of this type in Ukraine.
• Local “authorities” have been building nature protection zones and military bases since the beginning of the occupation in Crimea. What consequences should be expected for the environment, Suspilne Crimea found out.
• In February 2022, the National Committee of Ukraine for UNESCO strongly condemned the actions of the occupation administration in Crimea, which, under the guise of "measures for the protection of cultural heritage", conducts illegal construction work at the Bakhchisaray Palace of the monument to the Crimean Khans.
• In May 2022, it became known that the occupation authorities of Crimea decided to transfer private ownership to the plots at the foot of Mount Demerji, where the attractions of the peninsula are located.
• In 2023, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine announced that it was constantly monitoring the situation related to the "reconstruction" of the Khan's Palace in Bakhchisaray by the occupying authorities of Crimea.
• The ministry emphasizes that the situation around the palace is the subject of a national tragedy, and the actions of the occupiers pose a serious threat to the destruction of its historical and cultural value.
• The former director of the reserve in Bakhchisarai spoke about the destruction of the Khan's Palace by the Russians.