The Ministry of Culture has updated its figures on cultural losses: Russia has damaged 1,783 heritage sites
This was reported by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine has updated its figures on damage to cultural heritage and cultural infrastructure caused by Russian aggression.
As of May 2026, 1,783 cultural heritage sites have been damaged in Ukraine.
Of these, 161 sites are of national significance, 1,460 are of local significance, and a further 162 sites have only recently been identified.
Forty-six cultural heritage sites have been completely destroyed.
The sites in the Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, Donetsk and Kyiv regions, as well as in Kyiv, have suffered the most damage.
In total, damage to heritage sites has been recorded in 18 regions.
What is known about cultural infrastructure
According to the Ministry of Culture, Russia has also damaged 2,540 cultural infrastructure sites.
Of these, 518 have been completely destroyed.
The cultural infrastructure suffered the greatest losses in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, Kyiv and Mykolaiv regions.
Among the damaged or destroyed sites:
– clubs – 1,252;
– libraries – 879;
– arts education institutions – 191;
– museums and galleries – 141;
– theatres, cinemas and concert halls – 52;
– parks and zoos – 11;
– nature reserves – 9;
– circuses – 4;
– a film studio in Kyiv.
Where damage was recorded
Damage to cultural heritage and cultural infrastructure has been recorded in 341 local communities across Ukraine.
The Ministry of Culture clarified that temporarily occupied territories are not included in the tally.
The Ministry also notes that it is responsible for formulating and implementing state policy in the field of cultural heritage protection, museum affairs, the preservation of cultural assets, and the restoration of sites destroyed as a result of Russia’s armed aggression.
As reported by ThePublic, the Ministry of Culture has presented a step-by-step procedure for the return of stolen cultural artefacts.
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