More than 150 cultural sites attacked and destroyed in Ukraine : UNESCO

• The institution head requested countries to follow  international humanitarian law , particularly the 1954 Hague convention on culture in armed conflicts

More than 150 cultural sites in Ukraine have been partially or completely damaged as a result of Moscow’s invasion of Kyiv, according to an assessment conducted by UNESCO.

As of 4 July, UNESCO has verified damage to 157 sites since 24 February – 71 religious sites, 12 museums, 30 historic buildings, 21 buildings dedicated to cultural activities, 16 monuments, and 7 libraries.

"These repeated attacks on Ukrainian cultural sites must stop. Cultural heritage, in all its forms, should not be targeted under any circumstances,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO in a statement.

The majority of the destroyed cultural sites are in the Donetsk area, where combat is still fierce, has 46 damaged cultural sites, the Kharkiv region has 40 damaged sites, and the Kyiv region has 26 damaged sites.

The institution said it is also working with partner organizations to create a system in Ukraine for independent coordinated data evaluation, including satellite image analysis.

Picture Credits: AP 

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