Another element of the destruction of Ukrainian identity was and still is the barbaric deliberate destruction of architectural monuments in Ukraine by Russians.
An example of the hatred of Russians for Ukrainian history is the destruction of monuments of historical Kyiv and the surrounding areas. 100 years ago, the occupiers planned to demolish almost all historical buildings.
In 1934-1937 alone, 69 churches in Kyiv were destroyed, along with precious paintings, iconostases, etc.
Here is how a participant in the Battle of Kruty, poet, and activist of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, prist Demyd Burko, describes the events in the Mezhyhirsk Preobrazhensky Monastery on Good Friday 1931:
“…I approach the cathedral, – on its portal there is a full house: “Religion is the opium for the people! Down with the priests and monks!” Noise and shouts are heard from the temple. […] And, as the prophet says in the psalm, “the enemy has destroyed everything in Your holy temple” (Ps. 73, 4). Precious Ukrainian Baroque iconostasis from the early 18th century were destroyed, paintings by the Italian artist Antonio Scotti were destroyed and turned over with shovels and picks, almost the entire monastery library was destroyed…, the bells were broken, everything was ruined, liquidated”
This is how the cleanup (subbotnik) was held, to which the authorities herded students and technical staff of the technical school, which had taken possession of the monastery territory back in 1925.
Miraculously, planned for destruction St. Sophia of Kyiv and St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral survived.
In general, during the occupation of Ukraine from 1917 to 1991, hundreds of churches and temples were deliberately destroyed, including even monuments from the pre-Mongol era.
For example, the Panteleimon Church in Galych was listed for destruction along with other churches from the 12th – 18th centuries in 1988 for the celebration of the millennium of the Christianization of Rus` (!). The central authorities explained this by the requirement to get rid of closed churches.
Numerous palaces and monuments of garden and park culture throughout Ukraine were destroyed, distorted and looted. The same fate befell numerous historical buildings.
Since 2014 Russia has continued this process.
Monuments of the occupied Crimea – Chersonese and the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchysarai – have been subjected to barbaric “reconstructions” and looting.
Numerous historical buildings in Luhansk and Donetsk regions were damaged or completely destroyed.
From February 24, 2022 to April 25, 2024, the Russian Federation destroyed or damaged 1,062 cultural heritage sites. Among them there are about 40 museums, cathedrals, and historical buildings.
1946 cultural infrastructure facilities were also damaged, of which 317 were completely destroyed.
These are approximate figures, as a complete inventory is impossible in the occupied territories.
