The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns yet another act of barbarism and cultural crime committed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine—a deliberate strike using loitering munitions on the central part of Lviv, which resulted in damage to UNESCO World Heritage sites within the Ensemble of the Historic Centre of Lviv. As a result of drone strikes on civilian buildings in downtown Lviv, casualties have been reported.

This attack is not only a war crime against civilians but also a direct assault on the cultural code of humanity, which is under international protection.

It was in Lviv, with the support of international partners and UNESCO, that Ukraine's first UNESCO Cultural Hub was inaugurated. This center was established specifically to protect, restore, and support Ukrainian culture during wartime. By striking the heart of Lviv, Russia has demonstrated a barbaric disregard for the efforts of the international community and the UNESCO organization itself.

We emphasize that Russia continues to systematically violate the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

We call upon UNESCO and all international partners to move beyond mere expressions of concern. The aggressor, who deliberately destroys world heritage in a city housing an official Cultural Hub of the organization, must be stripped of any influence within international institutions and face severe punishment.

Ukrainian diplomats are officially addressing the UNESCO Secretariat and the member states of the World Heritage Committee, demanding that the consequences of the attack be documented and that additional sanctions be initiated against the Russian Federation in the sphere of culture.

We express our deepest condolences to the affected residents of Lviv and assure that every instance of destruction or damage to sites of global significance within the historic center will be documented. This is to ensure that the aggressor state and individual perpetrators are held accountable in both national and international jurisdictions.