Russia Has Caused $24 Billion in Damage to Ukraine's Cultural Heritage, World Bank Estimates

Russia has caused an estimated $24 billion in direct and indirect damage to Ukraine's cultural sector since the start of its full-scale invasion, according to World Bank estimates, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture Tetiana Berezhna said on July 9.

Speaking to journalists during the opening of the “Ukraine in the World” Conference of Ukrainian Studies, Berezhna said Ukraine is systematically documenting Russia's crimes against its cultural heritage and preparing the groundwork for future accountability, as reported by Ukrinform correspondent.

“Our mission today is to defend every year and every century of our history that was built on Ukrainian soil, as evidenced by our cultural monuments and every element of our statehood, which dates back far earlier than 1991,” Berezhna said.

She stressed that while discussions about reconstruction and compensation may be premature before the war ends, Ukraine is already carrying out what she described as its "homework" by collecting evidence of cultural destruction.

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“We are documenting every crime Russia commits against Ukraine's cultural heritage. We are documenting the scale of the damage Russia has inflicted on our country. As of today, according to the World Bank, the direct and indirect damage to Ukrainian culture alone amounts to $24 billion,” Berezhna said.

The minister added that Ukraine will continue working to ensure Russia is held financially accountable for the destruction.

Berezhna's remarks come amid continued Russian attacks on Ukraine's cultural heritage. During overnight strikes on June 14–15, Russian forces damaged some of the country’s most significant cultural and historical landmarks, including UNESCO-listed sites, museums, and artistic institutions in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro.

In Kyiv, the attacks damaged the UNESCO-listed Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and the Dovzhenko Film Studio, one of Ukraine's oldest film production centers, home to an archive of around 100,000 costumes and three million wardrobe items. Restoration of the damaged sections of the Lavra is already estimated to cost more than $11 million, with the final figure expected to rise.

In Dnipro, Russian strikes severely damaged the historic House of Organ and Chamber Music, one of the city's best-known cultural landmarks.

Kharkiv also came under attack on the evening of June 14, when Russian forces injured five people and damaged the Kharkiv Art Museum.

Overall, as of February 24, 2026, Russia's full-scale invasion had damaged or destroyed 1,685 cultural heritage sites and 2,483 cultural infrastructure facilities across Ukraine.

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