THE STATE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE PROTECTION IN UKRAINE IN 2025–2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31470/2786-6246-2026-15-96-103Keywords:
cultural heritage, the field of preservation and protection of cultural heritage monuments, cultural heritage protection, War of Independence of Ukraine, public management, digitalization, digitalization of cultural heritage, international cooperationAbstract
The article analyzes the current state of the preservation and protection of Ukraine's cultural heritage in 2025–2026 in the context of the War for Independence of Ukraine.
The main challenges faced by the cultural heritage protection system during this period are identified, including the large-scale destruction of monuments, threats of looting and illegal export of cultural property, institutional instability, and fragmentation of the legal and regulatory framework. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of transformations in state cultural policy, especially the impact of the reorganization of central executive authorities, the adoption of the Culture Development Strategy until 2030, and recent legislative changes related to decolonization and the revision of the status of cultural heritage objects.
The study describes the current state of digitalization in the field of cultural heritage preservation in Ukraine, including the level of development of electronic registers, the practice of 3D documentation of monuments, and systems for documenting losses in the context of wartime risks. The significance of international cooperation is analyzed, in particular, the state and dynamics of Ukraine’s interaction with the European Union and UNESCO in the formation and development of a system for the protection of cultural values under conditions of full-scale war. Special emphasis is placed on the growing role of civil society and the increasing level of public interest in the preservation of cultural heritage, manifested through the activation of civic initiatives, volunteer projects, and professional communities during martial law.
It is concluded that, despite large-scale losses and systemic problems, new approaches are being formed in the field of cultural heritage protection in Ukraine, aimed at strengthening state resilience, preserving national identity, and integrating international standards for the protection of cultural property. At the same time, in the conditions of war, there is an intensification of processes of rethinking the role of cultural heritage as a factor of national identity and state stability. A positive trend is the growing attention to the digitalization of cultural heritage sites, the development of electronic registers, the documentation of destruction, and the integration of Ukrainian practices into international programs for the protection of cultural values.
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