Cabinet of Ministers Approves New Rules for Cultural Heritage Protection
Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers has adopted a resolution defining the boundaries and usage regulations for protected zones around cultural heritage sites. At the same time, the government has improved the eRecovery program’s mechanism for dealing with damaged or destroyed cultural landmarks. These steps aim to safeguard Ukraine’s cultural heritage amid the ongoing full-scale war.
New Protections and a Simplified Path for Heritage Sites
During a recent meeting, the Cabinet approved a procedure for setting the size and use of buffer zones around cultural heritage monuments. The updated regulation allows authorities to determine appropriate zone dimensions that protect the sites while still permitting reconstruction and new construction without harming cultural assets. It now also enables tailored usage rules for areas surrounding each monument, including restrictions on building height and other development conditions.
Additionally, the eRecovery program has been refined for cultural heritage objects that have been damaged or destroyed. A unified inspection procedure and a simplified document package will now apply to all such sites. A new mechanism has also been introduced to officially recognize a monument as destroyed by war, allowing residents of those buildings to obtain a housing certificate through the eRecovery initiative.
“Russia is deliberately destroying monuments, museums, and cultural institutions in an attempt to erase historical memory and the connection between generations. That is why protecting cultural heritage and supporting culture is strategically important for Ukraine during the war.”
Yulia Svyrydenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine
These decisions reflect the Ukrainian government’s ongoing efforts to preserve the nation’s cultural heritage under wartime conditions, underscoring the importance of historical memory for the country. Given the systematic attacks on cultural sites, such initiatives could prove vital not only for restoring physical landmarks but also for rebuilding the cultural identity of the Ukrainian people in the future.