The National History Museum of Ukraine will keep the Scythian treasures until the Ukrainians regain control of the Crimean peninsula occupied by Russia in 2014. It is planned that after that the valuable relics will be delivered to the Crimean museums.
As the director of the National History Museum of Ukraine, Fedir Androschuk, said in a statement to the media, the institution headed by him will do everything possible to preserve the collection and make it accessible to citizens and guests of Ukraine.
Androschuk also mentioned that the museum will also need adequate financial support to be able to ensure the protection of the collection, given the international resonance surrounding it.
The recovery of the collection can be considered a great victory for Ukraine and the National Museum of History expressed its gratitude to all those who fought for the right to this collection for years – both the Ministry of Justice, Foreign Affairs and Culture of Ukraine were involved.
Andriy Kostin, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, also expressed his joy about the return of the treasures to his homeland on Tuesday.
“The protection of the historical heritage of Ukraine is an integral part of the defense of Ukraine. Today, Russia is doing everything to destroy the identity of Ukraine. As a result of the aggressor’s attacks, more than 600 historical monuments were damaged or destroyed, cases of looting and illegal removal of cultural values were recorded in the temporarily occupied territories. But these attempts of the enemy are and it will be in vain, because Ukrainians are united for the protection of their country, common property of Ukraine and their memory,” said Kostin.
Crimean “Scythian gold” collection
Photo: General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine
Crimean “Scythian gold” collection
Photo: General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine
Crimean “Scythian gold” collection
Photo: General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine
The Amsterdam appeals court process was long, legally complex, and its result is very important for Ukrainians, especially in a wider context.
Since the start of the general invasion, Russia has plundered Ukraine’s cultural wealth on a scale not seen since World War II.
In all areas where Russian troops have stayed – even temporarily – they have managed to steal everything possible.
It was already clear that the Russian troops would withdraw from Kherson, as several trucks drove up to the museum in the city and loaded everything except portraits of Lenin, which were left for the Ukrainians.
The rest – the large collection of thousands of items – was taken away to the occupied territory and, as far as the museum staff was able to trace, some of the stolen items were taken to the same Crimean museums.
The decision in which the court did not recognize the right of the museum under the occupation authority to the collection, but considered that it belongs to Ukraine, is also very important when looking at the damage caused by the Russian military to the Ukrainian cultural heritage in general.
As estimated in a report published this spring by the Ukrainian government, the World Bank, the European Commission (EC) and the United Nations (UN) –
Russia’s war against Ukraine has caused more than $2.6 billion (€2.37 billion) in damage to Ukraine’s cultural heritage, which includes damage to cultural and historical buildings and objects.
Therefore, every court that is won, proving the Ukrainians’ right to this historical heritage, is as important to Ukraine as the fact that the occupying power’s right to this cultural heritage is not recognized internationally.
CONTEXT:
In June 2013 – shortly before the occupation of Crimea – the museums of the peninsula had prepared an exhibition for display in Amsterdam, which brought together historical artifacts from the collections of the National History Museum of Ukraine and four Crimean museums.
Among them were ancient sculptures, Scythian and Sarmatian ornaments, two thousand-year-old Chinese caskets and many other items – a total of 565 items.
All these treasures were displayed at the Archaeological Museum of the University of Amsterdam in an exhibition entitled “Crimea: Gold and Mysteries of the Black Sea”, which ran from February to May 2014.
When it ended, the exhibits of the National History Museum of Ukraine were returned to Ukraine, but the Crimean treasures were claimed by the museums in Crimea, which were now under occupation.
Litigation began over whether the museums of the occupied Crimea have the right to recover the “Scythian treasures” or whether Ukraine still has the right to them.
After years of litigation – in the fall of 2021, the Court of Appeal of Amsterdam made a decision on the transfer of the Crimean treasures to Ukraine, and now, after almost 10 years, these valuable artifacts have been returned to the country.
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2023-11-28 14:25:29
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