Russia is destroying Ukrainian Heritage
As of September 3, 2022, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy has documented 500 episodes of Russian war crimes against Ukrainian cultural heritage. Several dozen more cases are under review.
Here are short stories about several cultural institutions destroyed by Russian troops.
National Literary and Memorial Museum of Hryhorii Skovoroda
The museum, opened in 1972, is located in the village of Skovorodynivka, Kharkiv region, on the estate of the XVIII century. The famous Ukrainian philosopher Hryhoriy Skovoroda worked there for the last years of his life, and there is the place of his last resort. On May 7, 2022, the Russian military purposefully destroyed the museum during a shelling. The shell flew under the roof of the building — a fire broke out. The fire engulfed the entire building. The most valuable exhibits of the collection were saved, as they had been moved to a safe place in advance, but the memorial building suffered irreparable damages.
Ivankiv Museum of Local History
The museum was founded in 1980 by the local historian Petro Zinchenko. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the destruction of the museum, 410 exhibits were kept here, including mammoth skeletons, utensils and tools of our ancestors, money from the Bronze Age and the Cherniakhiv culture and Kyivan Rus, Cossack weapons, and ancient icons. The museum’s pride was a collection of artworks by Maria Primachenko, one of the most famous Ukrainian folk artists. Subsequently, there were reports that Ivankiv residents saved some of Pryimachenko’s paintings and other exhibits. At the end of February 2022, during the Battle of Ivankiv, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the museum burned down after the bombing.
Kharkiv State Scientific Library named after V. G. Korolenko
Kharkiv State Scientific Library named after V. G. Korolenko is the largest library in Kharkiv and Ukraine and the second largest in terms of book funds after the National Library of Ukraine named after V.I. Vernadskyi. The library has 7 million copies of documents in different languages. This is a fund of national importance, as well as a digital education hub in Kharkiv. On March 13, 2022, the Korolenko Kharkiv State Scientific Library was damaged because of the actions of the Russian invaders in Kharkiv.
Dnipro House of Organ and Chamber Music
The building of the Bryanska Church, which currently houses the Dnipro House of Organ and Chamber Music, began in 1913. The First World War was not an obstacle to the construction of the church, and in 28 months, the building was completed. It got its name — “Bryanska” — after the name of the village, and its construction was financed by the Bryansk Metallurgical Plant and donations from its workers. The building was damaged during the Russian invasion on March 11, 2022. As a result of enemy shelling, shell fragments hit the walls and windows of the building.
