Ukrainian intelligence identifies over 170 cultural artefacts stolen by Russians
Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has released information about 178 cultural artefacts looted by Russian forces from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including items from the Kamiana Mohyla museum. The data is available on the War&Sanctions portal, in a section titled Stolen Heritage.
Source: DIU
Details: Over 140 artefacts were stolen during illegal archaeological excavations in Crimea from sites such as the Southern Suburb of Tauric Chersonesos, the Kadykivske settlement (a Roman camp), and the Byzantine architectural monument Church of John the Baptist.
Another 37 exhibits were taken from the Kamiana Mohyla National Historical and Archaeological Museum and transported to the Tauric Chersonesos Museum under the pretext of a 2023 "temporary exhibition" titled The Spiritual World of Ancestors in the Petroglyphs of Kamiana Mohyla.
Background:
- In July 2025, DIU identified 110 cultural artefacts that had been taken to Crimea.
- The French civil society organisation Pour l'Ukraine, pour leur liberté et la nôtre! ("For Ukraine, for their and our freedom!") has launched a petition demanding that Russia be stripped of its membership in the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
- The petition states that the membership of institutions and individuals who destroy, loot and falsify cultural heritage violates ICOM's principles. The organisation notes that many national committees have already called for Russia's expulsion – so far, to no avail.
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