On 22 July 2026, during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in Busan (Republic of Korea), the Committee decided by consensus to retain three Ukrainian World Heritage sites – St. Sophia Cathedral, the Adjacent Monastic Structures, and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”, “The Historic Center of Lviv”, and “The Historic Center of Odesa” – on the List of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing that the ongoing armed aggression of the Russian Federation continues to pose an immediate threat to their outstanding universal value, authenticity and integrity.

During the review of Ukrainian sites, the Committee took into account updated information provided by Ukraine on the damage caused by recent Russian missile and drone attacks on cultural heritage sites in Kyiv, Lviv and Odessa, as well as the results of reactive monitoring missions by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, which have become an important component of the assessment of the current state of conservation of these sites.

The importance of the aforementioned decisions lies, in particular, in identifying the cause of the threat to the sites – the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation – and in condemning the ongoing full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

It should also be noted that the Committee once again called on the Russian Federation to refrain from any actions that could cause direct or indirect harm to the sites, their buffer zones and wider surroundings, as well as cultural heritage in Ukraine in general, in particular to World Heritage sites and their buffer zones and wider surroundings, as well as to sites included in the Ukraine Tentative List.

At the same time, the Committee commended the measures taken by the Ukrainian side to protect, monitor and preserve sites in wartime, as well as the support provided by UNESCO, the advisory bodies and international partners.

The Committee’s decisions provide for the continuation of international monitoring of the state of preservation of Ukrainian World Heritage sites, further interaction of Ukraine with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, the World Heritage Committee, as well as the preparation of updated information on the implementation of these decisions for consideration at the next session of the Committee in 2027.

The preservation of three Ukrainian sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger ensures the application of enhanced international monitoring mechanisms, contributes to the mobilization of international technical, expert and financial assistance, and supports the coordination of international efforts aimed at protecting Ukrainian cultural heritage amid the ongoing Russian aggression.

The adopted decisions once again reaffirm the unwavering support of the international community for Ukraine in protecting its cultural heritage from the consequences of ongoing Russian aggression and confirm the importance of strict compliance by States Parties with the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the norms of international law. They will also contribute to the further consolidation of international efforts aimed at the preservation of Ukrainian World Heritage sites and their restoration after the end of the war.

Ukraine will continue to actively cooperate with UNESCO, the World Heritage Center, Advisory Bodies and Partner States to protect World Heritage sites, document the consequences of Russian aggression, hold the Russian Federation accountable for violations of international law and damage to Ukrainian cultural heritage, and ensure proper conditions for the restoration of Ukrainian monuments after the end of the war.