Stand behind Ukrainian independent journalism when it’s needed most. Help us reach 20,000 members.

Skip to content
Edit post

Ministry: Russia's war destroys or damages almost 2,000 cultural facilities

by Martin Fornusek and The Kyiv Independent news desk May 2, 2024 3:02 PM 1 min read
An evening look at the ruins of the destroyed ethnographic museum in Kupiansk, which became an ideological target of the Russian forces, on Oct. 3, 2023. (Amadeusz Świerk)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Russia's full-scale war resulted in damage to 1,987 cultural facilities as of April 25, the Culture Ministry said on May 2. Some 16.3% of this number – 324 – were destroyed completely.

Ukrainian cultural sites have often become targets for Russian drone and missile attacks as Russia continues to attempt to erase the Ukrainian identity.

The latest figure accounts for almost 200 more institutions damaged or destroyed since the Culture Ministry's previous update from March.

The list of damaged sites includes 958 cultural and social clubs, 708 libraries, 153 art schools, 114 museums and galleries, 36 theaters, cinemas, and concert halls, 15 parks, zoos, and nature reserves, and three circuses.

This number does not include damaged or destroyed cultural heritage sites, which have amounted to 945 as of March.

Club establishments, libraries, museums, theaters, concert halls, and art schools were damaged on the territory of 281 communities.

According to available data, the most affected regions were Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Luhansk oblasts.

The Culture Ministry noted that it is currently impossible to fully account for damages in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, as they remain under partial Russian occupation.

Ihor Poshyvailo: Churches, religious sites play special role in Ukraine’s resistance
Editor’s Note: The Kyiv Independent is exclusively re-publishing an interview with Ihor Poshyvailo prepared by the Forum for Ukrainian Studies, a research publication for experts, practitioners, and academics to discuss, explore, reflect upon, develop, and transform international understanding of co…

Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.

We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.

Our goal: reach 20,000 members to prove independent journalism can survive without paywalls, billionaires, or compromise. Will you help us do it?

Can we reach 20,000 members?

News Feed

11:51 PM

Trump 'very surprised, disappointed' at Russian attacks on Ukraine amid peace talks.

"I've gotten to see things I was very surprised at. Rockets being shot into cities like Kyiv during a negotiation that was maybe very close to ending," Trump said during a news conference in the Oval Office. "All of a sudden rockets got shot into a couple of cities and people died. I saw thing I was surprised at and I don't like being surprised, so I'm very disappointed in that way."
5:10 PM

All territory will revert to Ukraine, predicts US diplomat.

The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sits down with Michael Carpenter, former U.S. Ambassador to OSCE and senior director for Europe at the National Security Council, to discuss the current lagging U.S. military support for Ukraine amid the ongoing ceasefire talks with Russia. Carpenter also offers his predictions for the future of Ukraine’s occupied territories.
10:10 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 7, injure 39 over past day.

Ukrainian forces downed 26 out of the 90 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Thirty drones were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars without causing any damage, according to the statement.
9:21 AM

NATO expansion 'fair' concern for Putin, Kellogg says.

"And that's one of the issues Russia will bring up... They're also talking about Georgia, they're talking about Moldova, they're talking — obviously — about Ukraine. And we're saying, 'Okay, let's address this comprehensively,'" U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.