By: Max Liu

One of Russia’s many motives in the war against Ukraine is to stifle their culture, and with it, their sense of nationalism.

Since the war broke out in February, nine cultural heritage sites in the regions of Donetsk, Kyiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv have been completely obliterated, while 51 other objects of cultural significance have suffered severe damage and hundreds more have been harmed in the violence.

According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and Information (MKIP), Russia “consciously chooses” these religious sites “in order to achieve its main goal – to destroy the centers of Ukrainian culture.”

Euronews reports: “In this way, the invaders seek to destroy the identity and historical memory of Ukrainian people.”

Curator Leonid Maruschak said that the war is about cultural identity.If Russia erases all of Ukraine’s national identity, Russia can control the country.

Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur on cultural rights says that the loss of cultural heritage, and the destruction of cultural artifacts, were worrying for the identity of both Ukrainians and minorities within the country and would impact the culture of the peaceful multicultural society after the end of the war.

With the cultural destruction in Ukraine increasing, Russia is determined to severely injure anyone who prevents them from seizing movable cultural property in Ukraine.

“Ukraine’s cultural heritage is irreplaceable, and its damage or destruction would be a profound loss to the entire world,” said Assistant Secretary of Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield. This movement is Russia replacing Ukraine. This is what they want. This is war.