UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Crimea Under the Conditions of Russian Occupation (2014–2021)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31861/hj2026.63.132-144Abstract
The article analyzes the state and legal status of Ukraine’s cultural heritage sites in Crimea under UNESCO protection from the beginning of the Russian occupation until 2021, prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The study focuses on Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013, as well as the Bakhchysaray Palace of the Crimean Khans and the Sudak (Genoese) Fortress, the most significant Crimean monuments on the UNESCO Tentative List. The paper highlights the process of including these unique monuments of Crimean culture into the prestigious World Heritage List through Ukraine’s persistent efforts. A particular emphasis is placed on Russia’s disregard for the 1954 Hague Convention and its Second Protocol (1999) regarding the enhanced protection of sites located in the annexed territory. The author argues that the occupation authorities use Tauric Chersonese to promote the concept of a «sacred center of Russia», serving as an element of ideological instrumentalization and the falsification of history.
The article explores the irreversible consequences for these sites resulting from the lack of direct control by Ukraine and international organizations under the conditions of Russian annexation. It outlines the problems of theft, displacement of artifacts, and their appropriation by Russia, as well as illegal archaeological excavations and «restoration» or «landscaping» projects that lead to the loss of the sites’ authenticity. The criminal nature of Russia’s actions regarding the preservation of world-class monuments in Crimea is substantiated, citing rushed restoration design decisions prioritized for military infrastructure, negligence, the inability to provide qualified restoration teams, and the concealment of malpractice by «improving» the monuments authenticity.
Special attention is paid to Ukraine’s activities within international organizations, primarily UNESCO, as a key tool for protecting cultural heritage from destruction and political appropriation. The study reveals the Organization’s potential for monument protection through direct monitoring procedures, evidenced by the UNESCO Executive Board’s regular decisions on Crimea. It is concluded that despite limited physical access, Ukraine’s proactive stance in UNESCO keeps the issue of Crimean heritage on the international agenda and creates a legal framework for the future accountability of the aggressor. Ukraine presents itself not as a «victim», but as an active subject initiating new remote monitoring methods (satellite imagery, NGO reports, etc.).
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