- Category
- World
Russia Opens “Scythian Gold” Exhibition in Washington, Claims Ukrainian Artifacts as Its Own
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Russia has opened a photo exhibition at its embassy in Washington promoting claims that the collection of archaeological artifacts known as the “Scythian gold” belongs to Russia, Russian state media TASS reported on August 19.
The exhibition, titled “Crimean Gold: ‘Civilized’ Europe Robs Russian Treasures,” was prepared by the Russian Military Historical Society and presents archaeological finds discovered during excavations in Crimea.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
According to TASS, the exhibition claims that the artifacts belong to museums on the peninsula and accuses Ukraine of unlawfully retaining the collection.
“For many years, these artifacts were part of the collections of four museums on the peninsula—the Kerch and Bakhchysarai historical and cultural reserves, the National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, and the Central Museum of Taurida. Today, these Russian treasures are being illegally held by the regime in Kyiv, which is considering the possibility of their commercial use. Russia will continue to seek the return of the collection to the museums of Crimea, to which it rightfully belongs,” the statement read.
The collection had been sent to the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam in 2013 for the exhibition “Crimea: Gold and Secrets of the Black Sea.” Following Russia’s occupation of Crimea, Moscow demanded that the artifacts be returned to Russia.
However, in 2023, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands ultimately upheld a decision to transfer the “Scythian gold” collection to Ukraine.
The court determined that the artifacts are part of Ukraine’s state Museum Fund and do not belong to museums located in Russian-occupied Crimea.
The exhibition comes amid broader concerns over the fate of Ukrainian cultural heritage under Russian occupation. On July 7, 2025, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) reported that Russia had unlawfully removed more than 100 cultural artifacts from temporarily occupied Crimea. However, the actual number is likely to have risen since then.
Concerns also extend to the preservation of historic sites on the peninsula. In Bakhchisarai, Russian forces continue work at the Khan’s Palace under the guise of “restoration.”
The work has been carried out in serious violation of restoration standards and techniques, resulting in substantial damage to structures within the historic complex, including structural deformations that now require temporary supports.
Discuss this article:
-457ad7ae19a951ebdca94e9b6bf6309d.png)
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
