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UNESCO condemns Russian strike on Ukraine's Lviv, urges protection of cultural heritage

25.03.2026 13:15
UNESCO on Wednesday condemned a Russian drone attack on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv that damaged a site on its World Heritage list, warning that cultural property is protected under international conventions.
The aftermath of a Russian drone attack on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, near the Polish border, March 24, 2026.
The aftermath of a Russian drone attack on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, near the Polish border, March 24, 2026.Photo: EPA/MYKOLA TYS

In a statement, UNESCO said it was "deeply alarmed" by Tuesday’s strikes, which damaged a building within the Bernardine monastery complex in the historic centre of Lviv, a designated World Heritage site.

The agency said cultural heritage is protected under international conventions adopted in 1954 and 1974, calling on all parties to "safeguard heritage and refrain from any acts harming cultural property."

UNESCO also said it "stands ready to support the authorities with assessments, protection measures and emergency assistance."

Ukrainian officials said Russian drones struck Lviv, near the Polish border, on Tuesday afternoon, leaving at least two people seriously injured. The attacks hit areas near the Bernardine monastery and church complex.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the 17th-century Church of St. Andrew—part of the World Heritage-listed historic centre—was among the sites affected.

The church, historically Roman Catholic, is now used by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP