As a result of the “excavations”, the invaders actually destroyed the ancient suburb of Tauric Chersonesos, so its legacy has been lost forever.
Evelina Kravchenko, a senior researcher at the Institute of Archeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, stated this in an interview with Ukrinform.
She said that near the city there was an ancient necropolis with early Christian burials, as well as a rather poor suburb. Here it was possible to trace the changes in the funeral rite, the emergence of the monastery of the Virgin on the Maiden’s Hill, which functioned even after the destruction of Chersonesos. This monastery is mentioned in Turkish sources of the 16th century as the Turks did not destroy it.
“But what happened during the Russian occupation is real. The Russian Federation transferred the military units stationed in the suburbs of Chersonesow to the New History Foundation. This is the ROC foundation, headed by the Russian Metropolitan Tikhon, the so-called confessor for Putin. And he actually manages Chersonesos through his protégé – director of the nature reserve Elena Morozova,” said Evelina Kravchenko.
According to the expert, for several months, on 25,000 square meters in the suburbs of Chersonesos, the Russians “carried out what they call “excavations”.
“In fact, this is the destruction of historical heritage. First, they drove excavators there. The people of Sevastopol were outraged, because such approaches to this historical place amaze everyone. After that, hundreds of people were driven to the ‘excavation.’ Obviously, the Russians were not interested in archaeological sites, the work was carried out in such a way that the information about the ancient past was lost forever… the Russians actually destroyed the ancient suburbs of Chersonesos,” said Kravchenko.
She added that the occupiers are erasing the importance of ancient Chersonesos and forming the concept that it is the “cradle of Russian Orthodoxy”.
“The remains of ancient stone buildings are covered with metal scaffolding, stages, theater equipment, and bulky observation decks that are unacceptable for use at such sights. Christian monuments remain open. First-graders in Sevastopol schools are told that “the Russian Prince Vladimir came and baptized Russia in Chersonesos.” And then the children, who are now 7-8 years old and have never seen a blue and yellow flag in their lives, come to Chersonesos – and they are again told fairy tales about Russian Orthodoxy,” Kravchenko said.
