UNESCO has kept three Ukrainian sites — “Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra,” “Historic Centre of Lviv,” and “Historic Centre of Odesa” — on the List of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing the direct threat posed by Russia’s aggression.
During the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Busan, South Korea, the Committee adopted the decision by consensus, “recognizing that the ongoing armed aggression of the Russian Federation continues to pose an imminent threat to their outstanding universal value, authenticity, and integrity.”
The review took into account updated information provided by Ukraine regarding damage caused by recent Russian missile and drone attacks, as well as the findings of reactive monitoring missions conducted by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS.
“The importance of these decisions lies, in particular, in identifying the cause of the threat to these sites — the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation — and in condemning Russia’s ongoing full-scale aggression against Ukraine,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized.
The Committee once again called on Russia to refrain from any actions that could cause direct or indirect damage to these sites and to Ukraine’s cultural heritage as a whole. At the same time, it positively noted Ukraine’s efforts to protect, monitor, and preserve the sites under wartime conditions.
The Committee’s decisions provide for continued international monitoring of the preservation status of Ukraine’s World Heritage sites, further cooperation 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 Committee’s next session in 2027, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
