Check and give the final verdict that the artifacts are lost while there is no possibility, informed official in an interview with Radio Liberty.
"If in Mariupol it was recorded on video that they were taking our paintings out of the museum, then in other cities we can use only secondary sources of information. And it is currently impossible to finally check what actions were taken. Therefore, we will study this situation after the liberation of these territories," Tkachenko explains.
On the other hand, in the situation regarding the Scythian gold, the head of the Ministry of Culture assured that most of the objects were saved and are in a safe place. As for those artifacts that were still stolen, Ukraine will sue in international courts with a demand to return them.
The Russians stole part of the Scythian gold collection from the Melitopol Local History Museum. Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General
"Unfortunately, this territory (Melitopol - ed.) troops entered literally within two or three days. And in order to take out these or other exhibits, they need to be packed, according to the protocol, and have appropriate opportunities for taking them out in safe transport and to safe places. This is not done in one day.
There were, of course, some (kidnapped - ed.) objects (Scythian gold - ed.). But the vast majority of valuable objects from the excavations are and were not located in Melitopol. And everything is okay with them.
We need to find out what was exported and, accordingly, apply to international courts not only for return, but also for reparations for the damage caused," he says.
There is no information on the number of cases of theft of cultural heritage objects. Photo: Anna Shchedrina
Also, according to Oleksandr Tkachenko, a UNESCO office should open in Kyiv by the end of 2022. The international agency will take under its control the objects of cultural heritage that are in danger and, according to the situation, will take the necessary actions.
We will remind that in May the director of the Melitopol Museum of Local History said, that the gold stolen by the Russians was indeed the original. Before that, the Ministry of Culture and the Zaporizhzhia OVA denied this information.
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