In order to combat the consolidation of Russia’s occupation regime in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (hereinafter – Mission) has been systematically monitoring and analyzing the situation with Ukraine’s cultural and archeological heritage in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.

In December 2020, the Mission sent to the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol lists of persons that had been issued illegal permits (open letters) by Russia’s Ministry of Culture authorizing them to perform activities aimed at the identification and study of archaeological heritage sites on the Crimean Peninsula in 2014-2020, as well as lists of individuals and legal entities responsible for illegal activities involving Ukraine’s cultural and archaeological heritage on the Crimean Peninsula (senior officials of public authorities, museums, museum-reserves, and organizations that were carrying out illegal renovation works).

In addition, the lists have been sent to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, and the Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, for consideration of sanctions against said individuals and legal entities.

The lists have also been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, to encourage it to take political and diplomatic measures to address the situation.

Provided by the Service for the Reintegration

and Deoccupation of the Autonomous Republic

of Crimea and Sevastopol