AMN / WEB DESK
In Ukraine, a cultural site under international protection has been damaged in a Russian attack once again, prompting condemnation from the UN educational, social and cultural agency UNESCO on Monday.
The Museum of Fine Arts within Odesa’s historic centre, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was damaged by a Russian airstrike on Sunday night, the agency said. The historic centre has been hit several times previously, notably over the summer.
UNESCO reiterated that cultural sites must be protected in accordance with international law.
Prior to the latest attack, as of 2 November, UNESCO had verified damage to 327 cultural sites since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, including 124 religious sites and 28 museums. In the Odesa region alone, 49 sites have been damaged.
Ukraine is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage sites. The UN agency has been supporting repairs to buildings within Odesa’s historic centre, including the fine arts museum, and has provided equipment for the digitization of some 1,000 works of art and of documents in the Odesa State Archives.