Minister Andrey Sibiga for the International Day of Combating Illegal Trade in Cultural Values:
"Russia stole more than 35,000 museum objects from Ukraine. More than 2.3 million more remain in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia, where they continue to be under threat of looting and destruction.
On the day of the international fight against illegal trade in cultural property, these data demonstrate the extent of Russia's systematic attack on Ukrainian cultural heritage.
Russian forces took 33,440 objects from two Kherson museums alone, including more than 10,000 works of art from the Oleksii Shubkonenko Kherson Museum of Art. This is called "evacuation". In fact, it was open robbery.
Russian aggression against Ukraine goes far beyond the battlefield. The deliberate destruction and looting of our cultural heritage is part of a wider attempt to erase Ukrainian national identity. Russia steals Ukrainian works of art, takes them out of their historical context, and then tries to appropriate our cultural heritage. Stealing Ukrainian art does not make it Russian.
These days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is presenting an exhibition of art prints of artworks stolen from the Kherson Art Museum. It reminds us of the extent of Russia's cultural crimes and our determination to return what was stolen.
The international community must realize the full extent of Russian aggression, including its systematic campaign against Ukrainian culture, history and identity. These crimes require international attention, a coordinated response and prosecution of the perpetrators.
Any stolen cultural object must be returned to Ukraine. Russia will inevitably bear responsibility for its crimes against our cultural heritage."