Russia damaged more than 4800 cultural heritage sites and cultural institutions in Ukraine

As of the end of September 2026, 2161 cultural heritage sites and 2665 cultural institutions in Ukraine had been damaged due to Russian aggression. In September an additional 26 cultural heritage sites and 25 cultural institutions were recorded as damaged.

As Dilo reports, the Ministry of Culture reported this.

Which cultural heritage sites were damaged

Ukraine’s book industry suffered significant losses. In the summer of 2026, Russian attacks destroyed more than 13 million books with a total value of over 1,75 billion UAH. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces have attacked printing houses, publishers, book warehouses, and bookstores at least 21 times.

Among the 2161 damaged cultural heritage sites are 194 monuments of national significance, 1769 monuments of local significance, and 198 newly identified sites.

The most damaged sites were recorded in Donetsk region — 369. In Kharkiv region 355 sites were affected, in Kherson — 305, in Kyiv — 285, and in Odesa region — 212.

In September new damages to cultural heritage were recorded in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kherson regions, as well as in Kyiv. At the same time, in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions Russian strikes re-damaged sites that had already been affected earlier.

Some of them are sites associated with UNESCO World Heritage. In September the Building of the Consistory, which is part of the Saint Sophia Cathedral ensemble, and sites in its buffer zone were damaged.

"Russia is deliberately striking Ukrainian cities and villages, destroying cultural heritage and infrastructure. Documenting these crimes is crucial for holding Russia accountable. At the same time, we are working to protect monuments and preserve museum collections that remain under threat," said Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy — Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna.

More than 2600 cultural institutions were damaged

Russian aggression also damaged 2665 cultural institutions. Of these, 571 sites, or 21,4% of the total, were completely destroyed. Cultural infrastructure in 362 territorial communities of Ukraine was damaged.

The largest category among the damaged institutions is club establishments: there are 1327 of them. Russian attacks also damaged or destroyed 917 libraries, 197 arts education institutions, 140 museums and galleries, and 57 theaters, cinemas, and philharmonics.

The list of affected sites also includes nine reserves, 14 parks and zoos, three circuses, and a film studio in Kyiv.

Cultural infrastructure suffered the greatest losses in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, Kyiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Data do not cover the full picture in occupied territories

The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine compiles loss statistics based on information from regional and Kyiv city military administrations, as well as cultural institutions subordinated to the ministry and other central executive bodies.

The counts include both new damages and cases that were not previously accounted for and whose information arrived later.

At the same time, an accurate accounting of cultural losses in temporarily occupied territories remains impossible. As of September 2026, almost all of Luhansk region and significant parts of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson regions are under temporary occupation.

Thus, the published 2161 cultural heritage sites and 2665 cultural institutions are only the recorded losses, while the real scale of damage to Ukrainian cultural heritage may be much greater.

Note that due to the threat of destruction caused by Russian attacks, at its 15 September session the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided to inscribe Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, and "Lviv — Historic Centre Ensemble" on the World Heritage List.