On December 11, during the first day of the 19th session of UNESCO's Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, a decision was made to urgently implement the "special monitoring" (ad hoc monitoring) mechanism for the State Industry Building (Derzhprom) in Kharkiv.
On November 8, 2024, the Derzhprom building sustained significant damage due to another attack by the Russian Federation. A powerful explosion in the seventh entrance on the third floor caused the collapse of the third and second floors, as well as parts of the facade and roof. The blast wave also damaged the structures of other entrances. According to the Committee’s decision on September 7, 2023, the Derzhprom building is included in the International List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection.
On December 11, committee members approved a decision to organize a "special monitoring" mission to Kharkiv. This makes Ukraine the first country to utilize this mechanism. The mission will document the damage, coordinate restoration efforts for the heritage site, and provide evidence for holding Russian war criminals accountable.
Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Mykola Tochytskyi, commenting on the decision, emphasized that while Russia continues targeted attacks on cultural heritage sites in violation of international humanitarian law, Ukraine is intensifying efforts to leverage UNESCO mechanisms for the maximum protection and preservation of cultural assets during wartime. The minister expressed confidence that the results of the "special monitoring" mission will document the destruction and contribute to submitting findings to the International Criminal Court.
