Fine Arts Museum damaged in russia’s missile strike on Odesa

Odesa Fine Arts Museum was damaged in russia's missile strike on the city of Odesa today

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Culture and Information Policy Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko on Telegram.

The damage caused to the natural environment of Ukraine by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation amounts to about 204,000 million hryvnias (UAH).

"Today russia has once again shown what it means to hold negotiations with terrorists. On July 22, 2022, under the aegis of the United Nations in Istanbul, Ukraine, Turkey and russia signed a deal to resume the safe exports of Ukrainian-produced grain via the Black Sea. In the morning of July 23, 2022, russia launched a missile attack on Odesa Port, exactly where the grain was stored. With this strike, Russia endangered Odesa's historic center included on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. Windows in the building of Odesa Fine Arts Museum were damaged by the blast wave," Tkachenko noted.

In his words, according to the updated version of the nomination dossier, which will soon be submitted by Ukraine to UNESCO, the port area will be added to the buffer zone of the World Heritage object. The port is situated close to the key cultural heritage sites of Odesa.

Tkachenko called on UNESCO and the international community "to make every effort to stop Russia's attacks on Ukrainian peaceful cities and the destruction of cultural and natural heritage".

"Russia has no right to be a member of UNESCO and, moreover, chair the UNESCO World Heritage Committee," Tkachenko stressed.

A reminder that, on July 23, 2022, Russian invaders fired Kalibr cruise missiles at Odesa Sea Commercial Port. Two missiles were shot down by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense units. The other two missiles hit the port's infrastructure facilities.