US returns stolen Ukrainian sabers saved from Russian smuggling attempt

The United States has returned four medieval sabers stolen by Russia from the temporarily occupied territories to Ukraine. The sabers were confiscated by US border guards while being transported from Russia to America as part of an artifact shipment.

Ukrinform writes about this.

The handover ceremony took place in the Embassy of Ukraine to the UN.

The program included the participation of:

– Mykola Tochytskyi, the Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine;

– Robert Silvers, the US Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Strategy, Policy and Planning.

Photo: Volodymyr Ilchenko / Ukrinform

↓Read also

When restoration is impossible: Can conservation preserve Ukraine's cultural heritage during war?

"Each returned artifact is not only a legal restoration of justice, but also a confirmation of our cultural identity," Tochytskyi told Ukrinform. "This inspires us to continue the fight for our heritage. For example, these sabers are not just weapons, but a symbol of a deep historical connection with our ancestors and our national strength".

As the minister noted during the ceremony of handing over the artifacts:

"This event reminds us of the essence of our struggle for our identity, souls, and right to be ourselves."

Photo: Volodymyr Ilchenko / Ukrinform

Silvers, handing over the sabers, said that they date back to the period between the 9th and 13th centuries.

They were discovered "when several Customs and Border Protection officers at an international post office in Newark, New Jersey saw a package that was said to contain a barbecue kit."

The officials inspected and sent the package for further inspection.

"Then our experts turned to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in Kyiv and handed over the photos. It was established that these are cultural heritage items, treasures of Ukraine's distinctive past," the official said.

^{Photo: Volodymyr Ilchenko / Ukrinform}

This operation was the result of a successful interaction between:

• Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications,
• Foreign Intelligence Service,
• Embassy of Ukraine in the USA,
• National Museum of the History of Ukraine,
• Institute of Archeology of the National Academy of Sciences.

In total, the US has identified 11 cultural properties that probably belong to Ukraine. Based on the photos provided, Ukrainian experts are currently identifying the rest of the objects.

For reference:

Beginning in June 2022, US Customs and Border Protection is conducting an operation to intercept cultural property shipped from the Russian Federation to the United States.

It should be noted that the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine is creating an electronic catalog of Ukrainian museum treasures, which will be a digital fortress for Ukrainian culture.

It was also reported that on October 20, 2023, 14 cultural treasures stolen by Russia from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine were unpacked in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve.

↓Read also

Kherson Art Museum identifies 121st painting looted by Russian occupiers

US returns to Ukraine cultural artifacts looted by russian occupiers