UNESCO World Heritage Site Devastated by Russian Bombing

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On the 23rd (local time), a church official in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa is inspecting a cathedral destroyed by a Russian military airstrike. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Orthodox church in Odesa, southern Ukraine, designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, has been destroyed by Russian bombings, drawing worldwide condemnation.

According to foreign media including the British BBC, AFP, and The Guardian on the 23rd (local time), Russia conducted an airstrike on Odesa in the early morning of the 23rd, killing at least one person and injuring 19. Notably, the Feast Church located in the historic district of Odesa, which is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site, was severely damaged in the airstrike.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on Twitter, stating, "The Feast Church in the historic district of Odesa has been destroyed," adding, "War crimes will neither be forgotten nor forgiven." Photos and videos posted by the ministry showed not only the Feast Church but also the historic district and downtown Odesa damaged by the bombing.

The Feast Church authorities reported, "The scale of destruction is immense. Most of the church roof has been blown away." Andriy Palchuk, the church's deacon, explained, "The central pillar and foundation were destroyed, and the windows and decorative plaster also blew away." The bombing affected even the underground areas, and people inside the church at the time were reportedly injured.

The Feast Church is an Orthodox church established in 1794 in Ukraine. The historic district of Odesa, where the Feast Church is located, was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in January. At that time, Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, stated, "Odesa is a free city, a global city, a legendary port that has left traces in film, literature, and art," explaining the reason for its registration.

Odesa has also been listed as a "World Heritage in Danger" due to the war with Russia. World Heritage in Danger refers to heritage sites at risk of destruction or damage due to war (civil war), terrorism, natural disasters, and other threats.

Since unilaterally declaring the expiration of the Black Sea Grain Initiative with Ukraine on the 17th, Russia has been intensively attacking Odesa daily. Odesa is a port city that serves as a major export route for Ukrainian grain.

On the 20th, the Russian Ministry of Defense warned, "Even civilian ships attempting to dock in Odesa will be treated as military targets," adding, "No grain in Odesa will be allowed to leave." Consequently, Russian forces reportedly launched supersonic anti-ship Oniks missiles and Kalibr cruise missiles at Odesa and the coastal city of Mykolaiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly condemned the airstrike, calling it "a missile attack on a peaceful city, residential buildings, and a church," and stating, "Russia's atrocities are inexcusable." President Zelensky requested assistance from allied countries to respond to Russia's airstrikes via Twitter on the same day.

The United Nations also joined in condemning Russia. UN Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres issued a statement through a spokesperson, emphasizing, "This attack violates the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and is another assault on a protected area under the World Heritage Convention."