The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine has initiated consultations with the UNESCO World Heritage Committee Secretariat regarding the protection of the world heritage site in occupied Sevastopol – Chersonesus Taurica and its chora. The Russians are conducting illegal construction works on the site under the pretext of creating a "historical and archaeological park."
During the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy Anastasia Bondar, highlighted the issue of preserving the UNESCO World Heritage site Chersonesus Taurica and its chora. Following this, negotiations began with the Secretariat on possible procedures for listing this site as a World Heritage site in Danger. The complexity of the situation lies in the fact that the site is located in occupied territory, with no access for monitoring missions.
The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy also requested full official information from the Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, about the current state of preservation of Chersonesus and the illegal activities being conducted there. Since the beginning of the occupation of Crimea, Ukraine has been deprived of access to the site.
Additionally, the Director was asked to clarify information from open sources regarding Russia's submission of documents about works at the UNESCO site in the occupied Crimea.
Russia is expected to be held accountable under international law for both the theft of museum artifacts and illegal archaeological activities, as well as other unlawful actions conducted on occupied territories concerning cultural heritage sites and movable cultural values.
According to the Institute of Archaeology and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, activities carried out by the occupying regime since 2014 at the world heritage site "Ancient City of Chersonesus Taurica and its Chora" have led to the destruction of the city of Chersonesus over an area of 80,215 square meters. A report published by the Institute on July 21 indicates that up to 4,000 square meters of the site have been damaged due to non-purposeful use, while the rest of the site has been affected by the negative impact of "improvement" measures.
Among the illegal actions by the Russians at the site of Chersonesus are:
- Conducting illegal archaeological excavations by staff from the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the State Hermitage Museum.
- So-called "reconstruction" and construction on the Chersonesus site.
- Active use of Chersonesus for propaganda purposes, including attempts to present the site as part of Russian cultural heritage, which contradicts internationally recognized borders and the status of Crimea.
According to Ukrainian legislation, all items found in the protected (buffer) zone of museum reserves must be handed over for storage in its collections. Both archaeological excavations and the construction of an "archaeological park" at Chersonesus, as well as the relocation of exhibits for exhibitions and items for restoration to Russia, are illegal.
