The Mariupol City Council reported that the Russian occupiers looted the cityʼs museums and took away all valuable exhibits. Their actions have been compared to the actions of the Nazis in World War II.
According to the city council, the Local History and Art Museums were left without their valuable collections. The museum buildings themselves were destroyed by the occupiers. Among the stolen items are original paintings by painters Arkhyp Kuindzhi and Ivan Aivazovsky, unique icons and historical exhibits.
"The Nazis acted in the same way more than 75 years ago. They looted museums and took the exhibits home. Russians confidently repeat their path, but under a different banner and slogan. They put "never again" back into our home. There will be revenge, and war criminals will be punished," the city council said.
- Russian troops have been destroying Ukraineʼs cultural heritage and looting museums since the very beginning of the full-scale invasion. Because of this, the Verkhovna Rada supported an appeal to UNESCO with a request to exclude Russia from its membership.
- At the beginning of July, the Minister of Culture reported that Russian troops had already committed 407 crimes against the cultural heritage of Ukraine.