Berezhna: Ukraine's culture sector losses, incl lost revenue, amount to $31.9 bln
The updated Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA5) has shown $4.2 billion in damage and $11.5 billion needed for the recovery of Ukraine’s cultural sector, Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Culture Minister Tetiana Berezhna said.
"In total, 1,707 cultural heritage sites and 2,503 cultural infrastructure facilities in Ukraine have already been destroyed or damaged by Russia, of which 513 have been completely destroyed. These include museums, theaters, libraries, historic buildings, and arts education institutions – places that shape our identity and our memory… The scale of the losses is also confirmed by international assessments. According to RDNA5, direct damage in the cultural sector as of the end of 2025 amounted to $4.2 billion. Recovery needs have already reached $11.53 billion, while the total losses of the culture and tourism sector, including lost revenue, amount to $31.9 billion," Berezhna said on Facebook.
According to her, direct losses in the cultural sector alone increased by $740 million over the year. The hardest-hit categories were buildings, historic cities, and sites of recognized cultural and social value, at $3.7 billion; movable cultural property and collections, at $193 million; cultural and creative industries facilities, at $288.2 million; and elements of intangible heritage, at $16 million.
"Protecting cultural heritage and ensuring systematic recovery remain among the priorities of state policy. The scale of the challenges is enormous. Only systematic global cooperation and support can ensure the full restoration of Ukraine’s cultural heritage. That is why we created the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund for transparent and strategic recovery. Russia is trying to erase our history. We are documenting every loss and working on the restoration of cultural heritage," the deputy prime minister said.
As reported, the updated Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA5) showed $13.9 billion in damage and $33.5 billion needed for the recovery of Ukraine’s education and science sector.
