Historical Heritage

Russian occupation administration carries out illegal activity in relation to material cultural heritage in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The Russian Federation transfers cultural values from the peninsula to the mainland Russia and excavate historical places all around Crimea. Additionally, occupying authority carries out underwater archaeological excavations near the city of Sudak and the Kerch Strait.  

Museum objects, including the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchisaray, are being destroyed. In order to achieve instruments to protect abovementioned objects, Ukraine has acceded to the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

One of the main aspects of this document, which the Russian Federation violates constantly, is an Article 9 that addresses the protection of cultural values on the occupied territories. According to this article, an occupying power, which has a full or partly control of another party`s territory, has no right to a. any illicit export, other removal or transfer of ownership of cultural property; b. any archaeological excavation, save where this is strictly required to safeguard, record or preserve cultural property; c. any alteration to, or change of use of, cultural property which is intended to conceal or destroy cultural, historical or scientific evidence.