More than 550 objects of cultural heritage destroyed or damaged in Ukraine

"More than 550 monuments and objects of cultural heritage have been destroyed or damaged by the occupiers. The war continues, so we record new destructions every day," Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko posted on Telegram.

According to him, 109,930 monuments are protected by the state, and there are more than 130,000 objects of cultural heritage on the state register. "Part of them are inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List – especially during the war as something that is under threat. Because the aggressor state purposefully destroys everything that we love and cherish so much, everything that defines us as a nation," the minister emphasized.

He noted that every loss of Ukraine’s cultural monument is a loss for world heritage.

"Cultural heritage is a key element of the identification of the Ukrainian nation and a factor of Ukraine's national security. The war became the impetus for the transformation of the understanding of the latter. That is why we bring cultural heritage – monuments of history and culture, landmarks and traditions – to a new level of significance for everyone inside the country and in the world," Tkachenko stressed.