The RF must be held accountable for cultural genocide.

The National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO expresses its resolute protest and categorically condemns yet another mass missile and drone strike by the Russian Federation against Kyiv on the night of 24 May 2026. This planned act of terror was directed against the historical and cultural core of the Ukrainian capital.

The Russian Federation systematically wages war not only against the Ukrainian people, but also against Ukrainian culture, historical memory, and world cultural heritage.

The Russian aggressor deliberately attempts to erase Ukrainian identity, as evidenced by the significant destruction and damage caused to leading institutions of culture, science, and education, notably:

• The National Art Museum of Ukraine;

• The Ukrainian House;

• The T.G. Shevchenko Institute of Literature of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and its unique book repositories;

• The Kyiv Opera (Kyiv Municipal Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre);

• The National Music Academy of Ukraine;

• The Educational and Scientific Institute of Public Administration and Civil Service of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv;

• The National Philharmonic of Ukraine;

• The Yaroslav the Wise National Library of Ukraine;

• The Kyiv Small Opera.

An absolute manifestation of barbarism that crosses the boundaries of human morality was the destructive strike on the National Museum "Chornobyl". Russian terrorists destroyed priceless historical evidence and artifacts of the largest technological disaster of the 20th century, just a month after the museum had been modernized to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy.

The particular cynicism of this crime lies in the fact that Russia committed it shortly after the adoption in April 2026 of the decision of the 224th session of the UNESCO Executive Board "40 Years of the Chornobyl Disaster: Remembrance and Lessons Learned". The terrorist state has once again openly demonstrated to the world its contempt for international law, human memory, and global institutions.

As of today, Russia has already destroyed or damaged 1,783 cultural heritage sites and 2,540 cultural infrastructure facilities across Ukraine. These are not collateral casualties of war — this is a deliberate, systemic state policy of the RF, which bears all the hallmarks of cultural genocide against the Ukrainian people.

We call upon the Director-General of UNESCO, its relevant bodies, and the Member States of the Organization to immediately activate all available international instruments, stringent mechanisms, and procedures to compel the RF to halt its terror. A state that destroys world heritage has no right to remain within civilized international institutions. As history shows, the policy of appeasing aggressors only encourages them to commit new crimes, including those against culture.

We call upon UNESCO to:

• provide a public and principled assessment of the Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of 24 May 2026 and its consequences for the cultural, educational, and scientific spheres of Ukraine;

• facilitate the recording and documenting of damage to cultural and educational sites;

• strengthen international mechanisms for the protection of Ukrainian cultural heritage and support for the affected institutions;

• consider the issue of enhancing the accountability of the Russian Federation for the systematic destruction of Ukraine's cultural heritage, which bears the hallmarks of war crimes.

Russia will be held accountable, and all war criminals — from the instigators in the Kremlin to the perpetrators on the ground — will face severe punishment for the assault on Ukrainian and world culture.