Russian invaders stole over 1.7 million units of Ukrainian cultural heritage in the temporarily occupied territories. They sell them on the black market, but in cooperation with partners, Ukraine is gradually returning valuables taken for sale abroad.
The Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Mykola Tochytskyi stated in an interview with the Ukrinform publication.
"One million seven hundred thousand units of our cultural heritage were stolen in the occupied territories: from archaeological finds to museum collections, which the Russian Federation appropriated for itself, violating all possible norms of international law. And if in ancient times, when the Russians stole our name and our history, they took exhibits to the Hermitage or Moscow museums, now they are successfully trading them on the black market," Tochytskyi stated.
He added that, thanks to cooperation with partners from different countries, Ukraine is gradually returning these values.
"In particular, repeatedly during foreign visits - both by the heads of state and mine - foreign competent authorities have handed over to us seized artifacts that were stolen in the occupied territories and taken abroad for sale on the black market," Tochytskyi emphasized.
The Minister also emphasized that officials of the aggressor country, russia, are involved in the theft of Ukrainian cultural heritage items.
"Ukraine for the first time in February imposed sanctions against cultural, museum and other figures of Russia. These are 55 individuals and three legal entities, for whom we have clearly proven their involvement in the theft, destruction and elimination of Ukrainian cultural heritage," he noted.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, the russians are preparing to plunder Ukrainian lands even more actively. In the temporarily occupied Donetsk Region, it is planned to build 7 grain elevators, each of which will be able to hold 20,000 tons of grain.
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