Russian invaders illegally exported from a temporarily occupied Crimea 164 Archaeological artifacts, found during excavations of ancient cities “Nymph” and “Panticapaeum”.
This was reported by the General Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
GUR published a list 14 Russian museums, used for propaganda in the occupied territories and are involved in the abduction of Ukrainian cultural values.
According to intelligence, with 2022 the year Russian museums organize exhibitions, lectures and educational activities, aimed at justifying occupation. So, They try to include Ukrainian museums in Russian cultural space.
One of the key centers of export of artifacts is the so -called “East Crimean Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve” in Kerch, that actively cooperates with Russian museums. The stolen artifacts through these institutions are hidden and integrated into permanent expositions, By leaving as “Russian” Historical heritage.
Among institutions, that contribute to the export of Ukrainian values, Intelligence calls the State Hermitage, State History Museum, Moscow Kremlin, Russian ethnographic museum and others. Some of the artifacts have already been transferred to museums in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Ukraine urges the international community to intensify efforts to stop the illegal export of cultural heritage and to get the return of stolen artifacts. It is also proposed to impose sanctions against institutions, involved in the robbery and illegal use of Ukrainian historical values.
