All victims of Russian aggression-related damage to cultural heritage sites will be included in a special state register to determine the extent of compensation from the Russian Federation.
According to Ukrinform, this was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during the international conference "United for Justice. United for Heritage".
"It is important to thoroughly and correctly assess the losses and damages in the field of culture," noted the head of government. According to him, this information will form the basis of the evidentiary base for international judicial institutions.
"Therefore, all destroyed or affected objects of cultural heritage as a result of Russian aggression will be included in a special state register. It will be one of the tools for determining the amounts of compensation from the Russian Federation," said the Prime Minister.
Shmyhal emphasized that everyone should clearly understand that Russia is committing war crimes, perpetrating genocide against Ukrainians not only through physical destruction but also through deprivation of national heritage, national memory, ancestral heritage, symbols, and identity. "Therefore, the issue of cultural genocide must be recorded in the indictment against the Russian Federation for the crime of aggression against Ukraine," he added.
"Every act of barbarism towards cultural objects, towards intangible heritage, must be compensated for by Russian assets or through direct reparations. Everything stolen must be returned home. We will no longer allow Russia to plunder our cultural and national treasures and get away unpunished," he declared.
As the Prime Minister emphasized, the world needs a precedent for punishing vandalism and savagery in the field of culture. This will be of immense importance for all humanity, for the protection and preservation of the achievements of our civilization, in all parts of the world and on all continents.
"I believe that justice will prevail. Together, we will do everything possible for this," concluded the government official.
It is worth noting that the full-scale invasion has led to damage or destruction of over 900 cultural heritage sites. Estimates of war-related losses amount to $19 billion.