Italy has allocated 500 thousand euros for the reconstruction of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa. It was destroyed by Russian troops in the summer of 2023.
This was reported by the Odesa City Council.
An expert group and the head of the UNESCO office in Ukraine will soon arrive in Odesa.
"We didn't have time to wait because we could lose even what was left of the cathedral after the rocket hit. Therefore, with the funds of donors and parishioners of the Odesa Diocese, we restored the roof and started work on restoring the most damaged part of the building," - said the mayor of Odesa, Hennady Trukhanov.
In addition, at the meeting on the restoration of the cathedral, the mayor announced that Ukraine, together with Italy and UNESCO, plans to rebuild other historical monuments damaged by Russian attacks.
Rome is also considering another option for cooperation with the Ukrainian government regarding the restoration of Odesa and the preservation of heritage. Plans include training specialists and developing regulatory documents and standards in the field of cultural heritage.
"We will do everything correctly and as quickly as possible," said the advisor to the mayor, Odesa ambassador to Italy Attilio Malliani.
As reported, Russian troops launched a missile attack on the Odesa region on the night of July 23, using 19 missiles of five types. The Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed 9 air targets. A Russian anti-ship missile X-22 hit the altar of the Transfiguration Cathedral of the UOC-MP in Odesa. Later, the government of Italy announced that it would help reconstruct the temple destroyed by the Russians.