Ukraine Trading Slavic Orthodox Heritage for Weapons and Perks
16:28 31.07.2025 (Updated: 17:34 31.07.2025)
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Ukraine trading Slavic Orthodox heritage for weapons and perks
Ukraine is trading its cultural treasures for Western arms, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned, saying relics from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and other artifacts sent abroad may never come back.
How’s the plunder of national heritage unfolding?
Ukraine is trading its cultural treasures for Western arms, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned, saying relics from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and other artifacts sent abroad may never come back.
How’s the plunder of national heritage unfolding?
“At first, they were taken away under the respectable pretext of preservation," Denis Lukashin, art valuation expert and owner of Art Consulting, tells Sputnik. "But on the other hand, it’s clear that the unscrupulous officials involved could easily use this as an opportunity to profit, because, of course, even priceless cultural treasures have a very real—and very high—market value.”
Threat to masterpieces
◻ These are very old pieces—especially icons from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, or oil paintings and drawings—which means there’s a high risk of damage during transport and handling.
◻ In turbulent times like these, such items are often moved by non‑professionals, and as a result they can be lost – or vanish without a trace.
◻ In 2023, Russian intelligence revealed that Ukraine had agreed with UNESCO to move Kiev Pechersk Lavra relics to Europe. Since then, there’s been no word – raising suspicions of a covert removal.
◻ Over a dozen Orthodox icons—including four Byzantine from the 6th-7th centuries—were secretly moved from Ukraine to France. Given Ukraine’s growing debt, chances of their return are slim.
◻ If the icons and other art treasures remain openly in Western museums, there’s a legal chance for their return. But if private collectors buy and hide them, they’ll be lost forever.
Orthodox Slavic heritage
If these treasures are destroyed, it would be an irreplaceable loss for all Slavic cultural heritage – shared wealth belonging to Orthodox Slavic culture, Lukashin stresses
◻ These are very old pieces—especially icons from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, or oil paintings and drawings—which means there’s a high risk of damage during transport and handling.
◻ In turbulent times like these, such items are often moved by non‑professionals, and as a result they can be lost – or vanish without a trace.
◻ In 2023, Russian intelligence revealed that Ukraine had agreed with UNESCO to move Kiev Pechersk Lavra relics to Europe. Since then, there’s been no word – raising suspicions of a covert removal.
◻ Over a dozen Orthodox icons—including four Byzantine from the 6th-7th centuries—were secretly moved from Ukraine to France. Given Ukraine’s growing debt, chances of their return are slim.
◻ If the icons and other art treasures remain openly in Western museums, there’s a legal chance for their return. But if private collectors buy and hide them, they’ll be lost forever.
Orthodox Slavic heritage
If these treasures are destroyed, it would be an irreplaceable loss for all Slavic cultural heritage – shared wealth belonging to Orthodox Slavic culture, Lukashin stresses
