Feb 25
2025

St. George church in the village of Zavorychi was built in 1873. The single-domed wooden church represented the architectural trends of late 19th century. It was destroyed by Russian missiles on March 07, 2022.

On the third anniversary of the Russian war against Ukraine, the digital exhibition “Destroyed Ukrainian Heritage. Ukraine’s Built Heritage since February 24, 2022. A Record of Destruction” goes online. With 40 examples, it documents the systematic destruction by Putin’s army and makes the enormous extent of the losses visible.
Kyiv-based architectural historian Dr. Semen Shyrochyn curated the exhibition in collaboration with the Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO). The project was funded by the Leibniz Research Alliance “Value of the Past.”

Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, many cities have been attacked with drones, missiles, and artillery strikes. This has brought death and endless suffering to people and the destruction of vital infrastructure. At the same time, Ukraine’s cultural heritage has been affected by immense losses.

The online exhibition in English attempts to convey an idea of the extent of the destruction and the range of buildings involved. It intentionally focuses on a sober record of destruction. The immeasurable suffering of the people affected is not depicted. It is a matter of the viewers’ imagination.

The museum of the Ukrainian philosopher Skovoroda located in the Kovalivsky estate was built in the 18th century. It was destroyed by a Russian strike on May 06, 2022, but plans to restore the museum have been announced.The museum of the Ukrainian philosopher Skovoroda located in the Kovalivsky estate was built in the 18th century. It was destroyed by a Russian strike on May 06, 2022, but plans to restore the museum have been announced.

Determining the total number of ruined buildings is difficult, but the estimated count is already more than 250,000. This number includes unique and valuable architectural landmarks, but very little number of them are officially recognized and protected by law. A major part of ruined heritage was not listed as monuments. Numerous buildings were destroyed before being even researched, and their value was not known.

Although the combat zone is mostly in the eastern part of the state, missiles and drones cause the damage across the territory of Ukraine. Strikes happen even in the western part of the country, near the border of Poland. The geography of the losses covers mostly the big cities, but also includes small ones and villages, some of which had lost their only remarkable buildings.

“We want to show that the Russian bombings not only massively affect everyday life throughout Ukraine, but are also aimed at destroying the country‘s cultural identity,” says Dr. Susanne Jaeger, exhibition coordinator at the GWZO.

“Destroyed Ukrainian Heritage. Ukraine’s Built Heritage since February 24, 2022. A Record of Destruction”