Russians print images of artworks stolen from art museum on electricity bills in occupied Kherson Oblast

In the occupied parts of Kherson Oblast, Russians have begun printing images of artworks stolen from the Oleksii Shovkunenko Kherson Regional Art Museum on electricity bills, accompanied by propagandistic historical notes.

Source: Kherson Regional Art Museum on Facebook

Details: The electricity bills feature Kherson artist Heorhii Petrov's work St Catherine's Cathedral, 18th Century. An accompanying note claims that it was "the city's first church, built by Potemkin and visited by Catherine II during her journey through the lands of Novorossiya".

The museum says this description contains historical manipulation intended to justify the occupation of Ukrainian territory.

St Catherine's Cathedral was the first stone church in Kherson, built on the site of the wooden St Michael's Church. Russian statesman Grigory Potemkin commissioned its construction and managed the funding. However, the project is attributed to architect Ivan Starov, while the construction was carried out by Ivan Sytnykov under the supervision of Ivan Hannibal.

The museum also stresses that Novorossiya was a colonial administrative term used in the 18th century, which Russia now invokes to justify its claims that southern Ukraine belongs to Russia.

The museum added that Russian forces have repeatedly damaged St Catherine's Cathedral in attacks.

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