he world was shocked when Russia invaded Ukraine. The relative European peace and respect for country autonomy that has existed since the end of World War II was broken as Putin sought to recreate the Soviet Union by destroying Ukraine. Since the start of the war, the world has witnessed the horrors the Ukrainian people have endured as their country falls before their eyes. In spite of regular reporting on Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine, one of the least reported on aspects of the war has been the destruction of Ukrainian culture and Russia’s attempt to erase any semblance of Ukraine from the world. Despite treaties and UNESCO’s efforts, Russia is seeking to annihilate every aspect of Ukraine—including its culture.
Putin envisions a world where Ukraine never even existed. Putin has noted that Ukraine and Russia are one people and that Western powers have intentionally separated the two countries. Likewise, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, framed the war as having “metaphysical significance” for ethnic Russians. The Kremlin is aware of the cultural impact that the war is having on Ukraine and seeks to mold the countries into one. From this point of view, there has been never a Ukrainian culture. Throughout the war, it has been clear that Russia is targeting local sources of culture trying to rid the country what makes it Ukraine.
As of June 2022, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported that, over 152 cultural sites such as museums, theatres, and churches had already been damaged or destroyed by Russian invading forces. The damaged sites include the Church of St. Nicholas of Myrlikiysky, the Kuindzhi Art Museum, and the Ivankiv Historic and Local History Museum. Folk dances and music remained prevalent throughout the country and every major city has a local theater dedicated to the performing the traditional arts. By targeting these local theatres and performing centers, each town and city is losing their cultural “home” and a way for the people to be reminded of their history and culture. To make matters more concerning, Putin has boasted about the accuracy of Russian munitions and attacks—a point that has been disputed. If Russia is intending to hit these cultural sites, then this destruction is not simply an unforeseen casualty of war, it is the intentional annihilation of the Ukrainian identity.
A culture, in essence, defines a people and gives a civilization a distinct way to be recognized. Without a culture, a country loses its history, famous figures, and a way for people to feel connected to one another. As such, cultural destruction is not about the outcome of the conflict, but aims to annihilate a people and their identity. The cultural destruction wrought during WWII highlighted the need to address this issue and was codified through the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, also known as the Hague Convention of 1954. The Russian Federation signed the Hague Convention on January 4, 1957.
While, the UN’s official website, they mention that cultural destruction is insufficient as an intent to commit genocide, Raphael Lemkin—who coined the term “genocide”—noted the role of cultural destruction as a component of the term and the destruction or a people or ethnic group. Afterall, once a culture is destroyed, a people have no identity to fall back upon. This is why groups involved in genocides or that seek to create monolithic ethno- or religious states often deliberately destroy culture—as was the case with ISIS. The invasion of Ukraine has shown that Putin is ignoring the commitments Russia made to protect culture in times of war. Indeed, Russia is following ISIS’s lead and intentionally targeting cultural sites of importance to the Ukrainian people—attempting to wipe out Ukrainian culture and destroy every aspect of the country.
“We must safeguard the cultural heritage in Ukraine, as a testimony of the past but also as a catalyst for peace and cohesion for the future, which the international community has a duty to protect and preserve.”- Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General
Ukrainian culture is still in danger of being lost to history as monuments, museum, and historically important architecture are bombed by Russia despite UNESCO’s best efforts to avoid unnecessary cultural destruction. UNESCO has sought to preserve as many of these sites as possible. These efforts include marking off sites with the UNESCO “blue-shield” in accordance with the Hague Convention and is working with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research to monitor damage to sites. UNESCO is also providing personnel to physically move or construct barriers to ensure that culturally significant items are not damaged in the event of a Russian attack.
Nothing can be done to replace what Ukraine has already lost. Sadly, Ukrainian culture will be forever affected by this conflict. Russia is showing the world that what the Geneva Conventions established does not matter anymore. If Russia is not punished for its obvious cultural destruction and its violations of the Hague Convention, others will also return to cultural destruction as a tool of war. For Russia, the Ukrainian culture means nothing and churches, museums, and theatres are just buildings in the way of complete Ukrainian elimination.
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Is Russia Committing Cultural Destruction in Ukraine?
Lviv, Ukraine. Photo by Michał Lis via Unsplash.
July 24, 2022
As of June 2022, over 152 cultural sites such as museums, theatres, and churches had already been damaged or destroyed by Russian invading forces. This destruction is not simply an unforeseen casualty of war, it is the intentional annihilation of the Ukrainian identity, writes Brennan Rose.
T
he world was shocked when Russia invaded Ukraine. The relative European peace and respect for country autonomy that has existed since the end of World War II was broken as Putin sought to recreate the Soviet Union by destroying Ukraine. Since the start of the war, the world has witnessed the horrors the Ukrainian people have endured as their country falls before their eyes. In spite of regular reporting on Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine, one of the least reported on aspects of the war has been the destruction of Ukrainian culture and Russia’s attempt to erase any semblance of Ukraine from the world. Despite treaties and UNESCO’s efforts, Russia is seeking to annihilate every aspect of Ukraine—including its culture.
Putin envisions a world where Ukraine never even existed. Putin has noted that Ukraine and Russia are one people and that Western powers have intentionally separated the two countries. Likewise, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, framed the war as having “metaphysical significance” for ethnic Russians. The Kremlin is aware of the cultural impact that the war is having on Ukraine and seeks to mold the countries into one. From this point of view, there has been never a Ukrainian culture. Throughout the war, it has been clear that Russia is targeting local sources of culture trying to rid the country what makes it Ukraine.
As of June 2022, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported that, over 152 cultural sites such as museums, theatres, and churches had already been damaged or destroyed by Russian invading forces. The damaged sites include the Church of St. Nicholas of Myrlikiysky, the Kuindzhi Art Museum, and the Ivankiv Historic and Local History Museum. Folk dances and music remained prevalent throughout the country and every major city has a local theater dedicated to the performing the traditional arts. By targeting these local theatres and performing centers, each town and city is losing their cultural “home” and a way for the people to be reminded of their history and culture. To make matters more concerning, Putin has boasted about the accuracy of Russian munitions and attacks—a point that has been disputed. If Russia is intending to hit these cultural sites, then this destruction is not simply an unforeseen casualty of war, it is the intentional annihilation of the Ukrainian identity.
A culture, in essence, defines a people and gives a civilization a distinct way to be recognized. Without a culture, a country loses its history, famous figures, and a way for people to feel connected to one another. As such, cultural destruction is not about the outcome of the conflict, but aims to annihilate a people and their identity. The cultural destruction wrought during WWII highlighted the need to address this issue and was codified through the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, also known as the Hague Convention of 1954. The Russian Federation signed the Hague Convention on January 4, 1957.
While, the UN’s official website, they mention that cultural destruction is insufficient as an intent to commit genocide, Raphael Lemkin—who coined the term “genocide”—noted the role of cultural destruction as a component of the term and the destruction or a people or ethnic group. Afterall, once a culture is destroyed, a people have no identity to fall back upon. This is why groups involved in genocides or that seek to create monolithic ethno- or religious states often deliberately destroy culture—as was the case with ISIS. The invasion of Ukraine has shown that Putin is ignoring the commitments Russia made to protect culture in times of war. Indeed, Russia is following ISIS’s lead and intentionally targeting cultural sites of importance to the Ukrainian people—attempting to wipe out Ukrainian culture and destroy every aspect of the country.
“We must safeguard the cultural heritage in Ukraine, as a testimony of the past but also as a catalyst for peace and cohesion for the future, which the international community has a duty to protect and preserve.”- Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General
Ukrainian culture is still in danger of being lost to history as monuments, museum, and historically important architecture are bombed by Russia despite UNESCO’s best efforts to avoid unnecessary cultural destruction. UNESCO has sought to preserve as many of these sites as possible. These efforts include marking off sites with the UNESCO “blue-shield” in accordance with the Hague Convention and is working with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research to monitor damage to sites. UNESCO is also providing personnel to physically move or construct barriers to ensure that culturally significant items are not damaged in the event of a Russian attack.
Nothing can be done to replace what Ukraine has already lost. Sadly, Ukrainian culture will be forever affected by this conflict. Russia is showing the world that what the Geneva Conventions established does not matter anymore. If Russia is not punished for its obvious cultural destruction and its violations of the Hague Convention, others will also return to cultural destruction as a tool of war. For Russia, the Ukrainian culture means nothing and churches, museums, and theatres are just buildings in the way of complete Ukrainian elimination.
