The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has confirmed that all three previously inscribed Ukrainian sites remain on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
This was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
The decision was made on July 22 during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, taking place in Busan, South Korea. The following were previously inscribed on the list:
- “Saint Sophia Cathedral, the adjoining monastic buildings, and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”;
- “The Historic Centre of Lviv”;
- “The Historic Centre of Odesa”.
“The Committee, by consensus, adopted a decision to keep the three Ukrainian sites on the List, recognizing that the ongoing armed aggression of the Russian Federation continues to pose a direct threat to their outstanding universal value, authenticity, and integrity,” the statement reads.
During the review, the Committee considered updated information provided by Ukraine regarding damage inflicted by recent Russian missile and drone attacks on cultural heritage sites in Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa. The findings of the reactive monitoring missions by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, which were a crucial part of assessing the current state of preservation of these monuments, were also taken into account.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the significance of the decision lies, in particular, in identifying the cause of the threat to Ukrainian sites – Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – as well as in condemning Russian aggression.
The Committee also reiterated its call to Russia to refrain from any actions that could cause direct or indirect harm to World Heritage sites, their buffer zones, their wider setting, Ukraine’s cultural heritage in general, and sites inscribed on Ukraine’s Tentative List.
At the same time, the Committee positively noted Ukraine’s measures for the protection, monitoring, and preservation of World Heritage sites amidst the war, as well as the support provided by UNESCO, its advisory bodies, and international partners.
The adopted decisions stipulate the continuation of international monitoring of the state of conservation of Ukrainian sites, further interaction between Ukraine and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, advisory bodies, and the World Heritage Committee, as well as the preparation of updated information on the implementation of these decisions for consideration at the next Committee session in 2027.
What other monuments are on the List of World Heritage in Danger
Additionally, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided to inscribe another Ukrainian site on the List of World Heritage in Danger – “Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora,” located in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
According to Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha, the site “is under constant threat and is subject to damage and destruction by the Russian occupation authorities.” The decision also calls on the international community to strengthen cooperation to prevent the illicit trafficking of cultural property originating from temporarily occupied Crimea.
Call for UNESCO to exclude Russia from the organization
Earlier, the French volunteer organization Unis Pour L’Ukraine (“United for Ukraine”) initiated an international petition demanding the immediate exclusion of Russia from UNESCO. The reason cited was the Russian shelling of Kyiv on the night of June 15, 2026, which caused significant damage to cultural heritage, including the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
The initiative was also supported by the All-Ukrainian Congress, UUF, and CRCUF. Activists are urging people worldwide to sign and share the petition to protect collective memory and hold Russia accountable.
Furthermore, a draft resolution No. 15338 was registered in the Verkhovna Rada, containing an appeal to the UN, UNESCO, the European Parliament, and the governments of partner countries with a call to strongly condemn the policy of systematic cultural genocide being carried out by Russia against the Ukrainian people.
In addition, the parliament calls on the international community to assist in the systematic strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense systems (ADS) to physically protect Ukrainian skies and preserve unique monuments and museum collections from further destruction.
Source: suspilne.media