“Targeted attacks” – campaign of extermination against Ukrainian culture

In the village of Skovorodynivka on the outskirts of Kharkiv there is not much. The pride of the city of 500 inhabitants is the memorial museum for the native Ukrainian philosopher Grigory Skovoroda, who celebrated his 300th birthday last year. Instead, on the evening of May 6, 2022, a Russian missile hit the museum and burned down the 17th-century house, leaving only the walls standing.

“Precisely because of the anniversary, the museum was attacked. That was no coincidence,” historian Soloschenko told krone.at. She conducts research into cultural objects that were kidnapped or destroyed during the Second World War. “At the beginning of the war, I also focused my research on current events. Because the story is now taking place in my country before my eyes,” she explains.

Hundreds of attacks are well documented
The scientist, who works at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, speaks of “mega damage” and “huge losses” for Ukrainian culture. For Viktoria Soloschenko it is clear: the attacks are targeted. The facts about this are overwhelming. The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture has documented hundreds of such attacks by Russian forces on cultural properties since the beginning of the invasion and has made photos, maps and information available on a website.

“Russians are destroying everything that has to do with Ukrainian identity, history and the Ukrainian language,” the historian explains. In early March, the National Korolenko Scientific Library in Kharkiv – one of the largest in Ukraine and Europe – was attacked by the occupying forces. The windows were broken, the main building and two book depots were damaged. The Chernihiv State Library, which survived Bolshevik attacks in 1917 and World War II, was also destroyed by Russian troops. The intruders dropped a 500 kilogram explosive bomb in the library courtyard. The archives of the Chernihiv region’s secret service were also wiped out. There were archives describing the reprisals of the Soviet regime against Ukraine.

‘They also burn children’s books’
Soloschenko sees parallels with the Second World War and the actions of the German Wehrmacht. “EThere were certain groups that sorted, transported and destroyed books and records – including Hebrew and Jewish literature.” Ukrainian books in libraries and archives in archives would also be destroyed in this war. ‘They burn these books. Also children’s books, so we can’t educate our children in the Ukrainian language,” the scientist explains.

She emphasizes that despite centuries of Russian rule, a strong Ukrainian identity has been preserved: “We have continued to develop our language, literature and culture, even during the war.” The identity is also reflected in the care for cultural heritage. Right at the start of the Russian invasion, a missile hit the Historical and Regional Museum in Ivankiv, north of Kiev. During the night, museum guards and local residents were able to rescue almost all the works of the famous Ukrainian painter Maria Prymanchenko, colorful paintings of fantastic animals, from the burning building. Prymanchenko’s granddaughter is now raising money to finance the reconstruction of the museum.

In the case of books, everything printed in Ukrainian is destroyed, but it is different with art objects, Soloschenko explains. “Or museums are completely destroyed with bombs and missiles, or certain items are selected, stolen and taken to Russia or the occupied territories,” she describes the practice of the troops. The scientist investigates why certain objects were kidnapped: because they are materially valuable? Or because they play an important role for the Ukrainian nation?

Antique gold jewelry has been kidnapped
In any case, large numbers of people have been robbed and kidnapped. Many exhibits disappeared from the Kuinji Museum in Mariupol, which was completely destroyed by bombs, including paintings by Ivan K. Aivazovsky, a Crimean-born painter of Armenian descent, but believed to be a Russian artist. Many older works of art also fell into the hands of the invaders. Scythian gold jewelry was taken from the Regional Museum in Melitopol, but it is unclear where. There are more than 1800 valuable antique exhibits. “You don’t know what state the objects are in, whether they are missing or destroyed,’ explains Soloschenko.

Last November, Ukrainian troops liberated the city of Kherson in the south of the country. After the withdrawal of the Russians, it became clear how massive the looting was. About 15,000 paintings and four trucks full of ancient icons were transported from the Kherson Art Museum to Simferopol in occupied Crimea.

Illegal trade and smuggling feared
It is feared that the stolen items will be traded illegally. DThe International Council of Museums (ICOM) has therefore, with the support of Ukrainian experts, drawn up a Red List of endangered cultural heritage. In addition to icons, paintings and jewelry, the list also includes manuscripts, costumes and handicrafts. It is intended to make it easier to identify looted cultural assets from Ukraine “when they begin to circulate in the coming weeks, months and years,” the museum council said.

Since the beginning of 2023, Russian attacks in Ukraine have destroyed or damaged more than 400 libraries, dozens of museums and galleries, 22 theaters and philharmonic halls, and about 170 monuments of national, regional or local importance. „I think you can speak of a campaign of destruction against Ukrainian culture here,’ says historian Soloschenko. Even museums close to nuclear power plants, such as the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant or the Chernobyl reactor ruins, were targeted.

More than 200 places of worship destroyed
But with his campaign, Russian President Vladimir Putin has achieved the opposite: the identity of Ukrainians is increasingly emphasized, including in Donbass. “The west and east of Ukraine have never been closer than they are now,” explains Soloschenko. The differences with Russia are emphasized: “We are different, only religion unites us,” she says. But troops loyal to Moscow also destroyed churches. More than 200 churches, synagogues and mosques have been destroyed since the war began, and of many only the walls remain, the Ukrainian scientist explains: “For the Russian government there is nothing sacred.”