DESTRUCTION OF KAKHOVKA HPP BY RUSSIAN MILITARY FORCES IN 2023: CONSEQUENCES FOR CULTURAL LAYER OF UKRAINE

Abstract

In view of social significance of preservation of national monuments of culture and history in the conditions of the russian-Ukrainian war, the study analyses the scale of damage caused to Ukrainian culture by the destruction of Kakhovka reservoir in Kherson Oblast on June 6, 2023. It presents the general typological and territorial characteristics of the monuments that were destroyed as a result of flooding. The study describes the degree of damage to the most significant cultural and artistic monuments of Ukraine, and characterizes further prospects for their existence, preservation and restoration. Among them is Ostap Vyshnia’s estate museum (Krynky Village, Kherson Raion), Polina Raiko’s estate (Oleshky Town, Kherson Raion), Oleshkivska Sich (Oleshky Town, Kherson Raion), Tiahyn fortress (Tiahynka Village, Beryslav Raion). The purpose of this scientific study is to find out the scale of losses for the Ukrainian culture caused by the destruction of Kakhovka HPP by russian military forces during a full-scale military invasion. The tasks of the study include providing general characteristics of this man-made disaster; classification according to typological and territorial affiliation of monuments damaged by the destruction of Kakhovka HPP; description of the most significant cultural heritage objects in the perspective of their place in the Ukrainian cultural layer; summarizing the collected data and predicting future prospects for these and other affected monuments of museology, archeology, local history, etc. The source base of the study includes cultural heritage objects located in the territory of Kherson Oblast, a significant part of which is temporarily occupied by russia and which were affected by the destruction of Kakhovka HPP. The scientific novelty of the results lies in the fact that for the first time since the tragic man-made disaster – flooding of the territories of Mykolaiv and Kherson Oblasts as a result of a terrorist act by russian military forces (destruction of Kakhovka HPP) – the event is described directly from the perspective of assessing the damage caused to national culture; measures taken by government agencies to save them and forecasts for recovery. The study is the first where a comprehensive list of affected cultural heritage objects and cultural and art institutions is presented, and valuable factual data on particular monuments is available.