On March 24, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemned another act of barbarism and a cultural crime committed by Russia against Ukraine: a deliberate drone attack on the central part of Lviv, which resulted in damage to UNESCO World Heritage sites within the Historic Center of Lviv. As a result of drone strikes on civilian buildings in the city center, people were injured.
“This attack is not only a war crime against civilians, but also a direct assault on the cultural heritage of humanity, which is under international protection,” the Ministry noted.
“It was in Lviv that, with the support of international partners and UNESCO, the first UNESCO Cultural Hub in Ukraine was established. This center was created specifically to protect, restore, and support Ukrainian culture in times of war.
“By striking at the heart of Lviv, Russia has demonstrated its barbaric disregard for the efforts of the international community and UNESCO itself.
“Ukraine emphasizes that Russia continues to systematically violate the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on UNESCO and all international partners not to limit their response to yet another expression of concern. An aggressor that deliberately destroys world heritage in a city hosting an official UNESCO Cultural Hub must be deprived of any influence within international institutions and face severe consequences.
“Ukrainian diplomats are officially addressing the UNESCO Secretariat and the Member States of the World Heritage Committee, calling for the consequences of this attack to be documented and for additional cultural sanctions against Russia to be initiated.
“We express our sincere condolences to the injured residents of Lviv and assure that every instance of destruction and damage to sites of global historical significance will be documented to ensure accountability of the aggressor state and those responsible in both national and international jurisdictions,” the statement reads.
Image: The Historic Centre of Lviv. Source: Ukraine Embassy Georgia
