Italy will sign an agreement with Ukraine and the U.N.'s cultural agency UNESCO to help rebuild Odesa and its famed Transfiguration Cathedral which was damaged by Russian strikes, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on April 24.
The historic cathedral was partially destroyed by Russian missile strikes on the city in July 2023, which also killed one person and injured at least 18 others.
The Italian Embassy in Ukraine said in February that it would allocate 500,000 euros (~$536,000) to help repair the roof of the damaged cathedral.
"On May 15 we will sign off on a deal with Kyiv and UNESCO here in Rome for the reconstruction of Odesa and its cathedral," Tajani told the Italian parliament.
According to UNESCO, Ukraine has lost over $19 billion in tourism revenue as a result of Russia's full-scale war.
The agency said in February that Ukraine will require $9 billion over a period of 10 years for the recovery of its cultural and tourism sectors.
Olena Goncharova
The Kyiv Independent doesn’t depend on a wealthy owner or an oligarch — in 2023, 80% of our revenue was from reader contributions . It’s thanks to them that we don’t have to rely on a single owner.
Support us now and help maintain our independent model and keep our articles free for everyone. Your contributions allow us to cover journalists’ salaries, report from the front lines, and fund projects like our War Crimes Investigations Unit.
(Updated: )
