UNESCO has recognized that three of Ukraine's World Heritage sites are in danger
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has confirmed that three Ukrainian sites remain on the List of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing that Russia’s full-scale aggression poses an immediate threat to their preservation.
These sites are “St. Sophia Cathedral, the Adjacent Monastic Structures, and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra,” “The Historic Center of Lviv,” and “The Historic Center of Odesa.”
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee adopted this decision by consensus during its 48th session, currently taking place in Busan, South Korea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the Committee recognized Russia’s ongoing armed aggression as a direct threat to the outstanding universal value, authenticity, and integrity of these sites.
During the deliberations, the Committee took into account updated information from Ukraine regarding damage to cultural heritage caused by recent Russian missile and drone attacks, as well as the findings of monitoring missions conducted by the UNESCO World Heritage Center and ICOMOS.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the significance of the decision lies in clearly identifying the cause of the threat to Ukrainian sites—Russia’s full-scale invasion—as well as in condemning the ongoing Russian aggression.
The Committee also called on Russia to refrain from any actions that could cause direct or indirect harm to World Heritage sites and Ukraine’s cultural heritage in general. At the same time, Ukraine’s efforts to protect, monitor, and preserve these sites amid the war were noted positively.
According to the UNESCO decision, international monitoring of the condition of Ukrainian sites will continue, and the issue of their preservation will be reconsidered at the Committee’s next session in 2027.
This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on July 22.
As a reminder, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized UNESCO for refusing to recognize the Russian shelling of the Lavra.
Earlier, two Russian drones deliberately attacked the Lavra and the Art Arsenal, according to Zelenskyy
As a result of the massive Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of June 15, the National Palace of Arts “Ukraine” sustained damage.
