The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy keeps recording all cases where the Russian invasion forces damage or destroy places of worship across Ukraine.
This was reported by the ministry’s press service.
Due to the criminal actions by the occupiers, 133 such religious buildings were destroyed. Forty-nine of them are listed as historical, architectural, and urban monuments. These are Orthodox and Catholic churches, Protestant worship houses, mosques, and synagogues.
So far, the Russians have destroyed 42 memorials in honor of historical figures and events of the XIX – early XXI centuries, 29 buildings and complexes run by museums and reserves, 74 art hubs, theaters and libraries, damaging some other valuable historical buildings across Ukraine.
As of May 27, 2022, Ukraine’s law enforcement have documented 367 crimes the Russian invasders have committed against Ukrainian cultural heritage.
It should be recalled that the destruction of cultural heritage is considered a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention.
“Information on Russian crimes in Ukraine continues. The ministry’s experts look into and systematize the data obtained and publish it on a special website: culturecrimes.mkip.gov.ua,” the Ministry of Culture said.
