Three Ukrainian World Heritage sites remain at risk due to Russian aggression – UNESCO

UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has decided to keep three Ukrainian World Heritage sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to Russian attacks.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

Details: The sites concerned are the Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv; the Ensemble of the Historic Centre in Lviv; and the Historic Centre of Odesa. The committee recognised that Russia's armed aggression continues to threaten their outstanding universal value, authenticity and integrity.

The committee drew on updated information regarding damage caused by recent Russian attacks on the cultural heritage of Kyiv, Lviv and Odesa, as well as the findings of reactive monitoring missions by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS.

Quote: "The significance of these decisions lies, among other things, in identifying the cause of the threat to the sites – the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine – as well as in condemning Russia's continued full-scale aggression against Ukraine."

More details: The decisions provide for continued international monitoring of the state of preservation of Ukraine's World Heritage sites, further engagement between Ukraine and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies, the World Heritage Committee and the preparation of updated information on the implementation of these decisions for consideration at the committee's next session in 2027.

Background:

• Earlier, French volunteer organisation Unis Pour L'Ukraine (United for Ukraine) created a petition demanding Russia's exclusion from UNESCO.
• The petition was created after Russian forces once again struck Kyiv and damaged the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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