Russian forces have destroyed ancient burial mounds on the front line in southern Ukraine. In doing so, they potentially violated the Hague and Geneva Conventions, according to a study by the Ukrainian Conflict Observatory published on September 4, the Kyiv Independent reported.
In Ukraine, there are many ancient graves known as kurgans – up to 20 meters high and dating back to 3000 BC. They contain archaeological treasures, including from the Scythian era.
The Conflict Observatory analyzed open geospatial data to find that the two sites in the Vasilovsky district of Zaporozhye Oblast, for example, were damaged during their occupation by the Russian armed forces. In addition, they were used by the Russians for military purposes as military infrastructure was built around them.
Apart from the military constructions, the damage “may mean looting or destruction of the mound-related artifacts and ancient remains,” the report said.
Since cultural heritage is entitled to protection under international law, damage to the sites and their potential looting may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law under the Hague and Geneva Conventions.
Additionally, the limitations of open-source intelligence research suggest that “the true number of archaeological sites affected by Russian fortification construction is likely to be much higher than documented in this report,” the observatory added.
Russia’s war against Ukraine has had a severe impact on Ukrainian cultural heritage, destroying around 2,000 cultural sites and leaving 1.5 million museum artifacts in Russian-occupied territories. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed a resolution in late June recognizing Russia’s genocidal intent to destroy Ukraine’s cultural heritage and identity.
