23 July 2026

Tauric Chersonese has been inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger

During its 48th session, held in Busan, Republic of Korea, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee adopted a decision to inscribe The Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

This decision shows international recognition of the threats that Ukrainian cultural heritage faces in the temporarily occupied territory of the Crimean Peninsula due to actions by the Russian Federation.

The grounds for inscribing the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger were: documented evidence of illegal archaeological excavations, large-scale development of the site and its buffer zones, the destruction of the archaeological context, the displacement of cultural property outside Crimea, and other actions that threaten the preservation of the site’s outstanding universal value.

The decision of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee reaffirms Ukraine’s position that any changes to the status, use, or development of cultural heritage sites in the temporarily occupied territory without the consent of the Ukrainian state and in violation of international law are unacceptable.

UNESCO has called to cease actions that could damage cultural heritage sites in the temporarily occupied Crimea, and to intensify efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property.

The UNESCO Committee also called for protection of the following heritage sites in Crimea:

• the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchysarai,
• the cave towns of the Crimean Gothia,
• the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory,
• the Sudak Fortress.

During the discussion, representatives of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland openly supported the Ukrainian side.

The Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea expresses its gratitude to the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UNESCO, Ukrainian scholars, archaeologists, experts in the field of cultural heritage preservation, and all specialists who, for many years, have systematically documented violations on the territory of Tauric Chersonese and consistently advocated for the protection of Ukrainian cultural heritage at the international level. The decision of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was the result of joint, persistent, and professional efforts.

We emphasize that the protection of Crimea’s cultural heritage is an integral part of the policy of de-occupation and the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The inclusion of Tauric Chersonese on the List of World Heritage in Danger is an important step by the international community to draw attention to the systematic destruction of cultural heritage on the occupied peninsula and to strengthen international mechanisms for its protection.