Attack on Odesa: Ombudsman reveals which historic buildings were damaged by Russia

The Russian missile attack on Odesa on July 24 caused destruction to seven cultural heritage monuments in the historic center of the city, which has international UNESCO-protected status.
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets reports this.

"In this regard, I have sent an official letter to UNESCO demanding a proper assessment of the shelling and the implementation of measures to protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage," the ombudsman stated.
He also reported that among the damaged sites were four architectural monuments of national significance:

• Vorontsov Palace (early 19th century),

• the palace on Prymorskyi Boulevard, 9,

• the Rodokanaki House (Hotel “Hotel de Versal”),

• the building of the “Londonsky” Hotel.

Additionally, the following were affected by the Russian attack:

• the building of the Mishchanska uprava,

• the Fruit Passage (Fruktovyi passage),

• the terminal of the “Odesa-Port” station.

"These landmarks are part not only of Ukrainian but also of global cultural heritage. Their deliberate destruction is an attempt to erase historical memory, national identity, and the cultural uniqueness of the Ukrainian people. This is yet another war crime that Russia is committing on the territory of Ukraine," said Dmytro Lubinets.

According to the ombudsman, as of today, 1,528 cultural heritage monuments and 2,359 cultural infrastructure sites have already been destroyed or damaged in Ukraine due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.

"These figures indicate a systematic and deliberate policy of destroying Ukraine’s cultural identity," Lubinets added.

The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights called on the international community to respond to such actions by the Russian Federation with effective legal and institutional accountability mechanisms.