Russia’s war against Ukraine is not only an attack on a sovereign state, but also on its entire culture. In all walks of life the devastation of war is massive. The Russian attacks damage buildings and infrastructure, but also endanger cultural assets.
According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, three people were killed in the most recent attacks on the capital. As the “Guardian” reports, Russian rockets recently hit near some national monuments in Kyiv. The specific targets of the rockets are unclear, but it is conceivable that they could also be aimed at the monuments, writes the English newspaper. However, Ukraine took protective measures months ago.
Ukraine: Hundreds of cultural assets have already been damaged by the war
The most important statues were barricaded with sandbags to protect them as much as possible from Russian bombs and missiles. Volunteers spent days hauling the heavy sacks and piling them up, the monuments were partially wrapped in plastic beforehand – not only in Kyiv, but also in other major Ukrainian cities.
Statues like that of Princess Olga, who ruled in Kyiv more than a thousand years ago and to whom a monument was erected on Michael Square, are part of the national identity of Ukraine, which Vladimir Putin wants to erase. Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and Information Policy has drawn up a long list of cultural sites damaged by the war – and it’s growing all the time. Because of the destruction of cultural monuments, churches and other religious sites, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenky called for Russia to be excluded from UNESCO.
Even in times of war, Kyiv tries to maintain as much normality as possible. The former tourist attractions are currently hiding their face. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian population hopes that they will be seen again as soon as possible, not only for visitors to the city, but above all for the citizens of the country – as a sign of their own identity and history.
But one monument has long since disappeared: the statues of two men, which were supposed to represent the brotherly bond between Ukraine and Russia, were torn down after the start of the war.
Sources: “Guardians” / “Bloomberg” / Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine