Almost 1,800 monuments and more than 2,500 cultural infrastructure facilities damaged due to Russian aggression – Ministry of Culture
Russian aggression has led to the destruction and damage of almost 1,800 cultural heritage monuments and more than 2,500 cultural infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, the Ministry of Culture reports.
“As of early May 2026, 1,783 cultural heritage monuments and 2,540 cultural infrastructure facilities have been destroyed or damaged in Ukraine due to Russian aggression. Among the damaged cultural heritage sites, 161 have national significance status, 1,460 are of local significance, and 162 are newly identified. A total of 46 cultural heritage monuments have been completely destroyed,” the ministry said in a statement.
Cultural monuments in 18 regions and Kyiv have sustained damage. The greatest destruction was recorded in Kharkiv region – 353 sites, Kherson region – 303, Odesa region – 202, Donetsk region – 225, and Kyiv region together with Kyiv – 173.
In addition, 2,540 cultural infrastructure facilities suffered damage, of which 518 were destroyed.
It is noted that cultural infrastructure sustained the greatest losses and damage in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, and Sumy regions.
In particular, the following were affected: cultural centers – 1,252; libraries – 879; arts education institutions – 191; museums and galleries – 141; theaters, cinemas, and philharmonic halls – 52; reserves – 11; parks and zoos – 11; circuses – 4; and a film studio in Kyiv.
“Almost the entire territory of Luhansk region and significant parts of Zaporizhia, Donetsk, and Kherson regions remain under temporary occupation. This makes it impossible to calculate the exact number of damaged cultural heritage monuments affected during hostilities and occupation,” the statement says.
As reported, in 2025, 307 cultural heritage monuments and 261 cultural infrastructure facilities were destroyed or damaged in Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression.