Russia looted priceless art and museum pieces from Kherson says Ukraine's Culture Minister

Russian troops retreating from Kherson looted nearly 15,000 artefacts from the Kherson Art Museum, Ukraine's Culture Minister said on Saturday (November 19).

"They (Russian forces) simply robbed two museums and stole the most significant artifacts. In Art museum, it probably was almost 80 percent of collection. And big part in another museum, mainly the most expensive pictures (paintings), coins, " Oleksandr Thachenko, Ukraine's Minister of Culture said.

The Kherson Art Museum said on Facebook a few dozen of Russian soldiers arrived at the museum on October 31 and for the next three days were seen carrying out paintings and works of art wrapped in pieces of cloth from the museum which were loaded onto trucks. According to the museum's Facebook, the looted artifacts were transferred to Simferopol in Crimea.

The collection of the Kherson Art Museum, also known as the Shovkunenko Kherson Regional Art Museum contained religious paintings dating back to the 17th century, Ukrainian art of the 19th century as well as collections of modernist and contemporary Ukrainian art.

Exposition of the Kherson Regional Museum contained some 10,000 archeological artifacts including items found during excavations of the ancient Greek colony of Olbia. The vast collection of over 173,000 artifacts stored in the museum coves the region’s natural history, pre and post revolutionary history.

To strenghten its presence in the occupied Kherson Russian authorities attempted to turn the city's regional theatre into a Russian cultural centre but with very limited success.

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[frumious]

Of course they did. Russians are always true to form.

[TheVargas]

Before war: Culture Museum
After war: War Museum

[reecom]

That's the same thing the Soviets did when they overran other countries before the fail of the USSR.

[bobloomis]

Orcs are willing to trade priceless relics for used washing machines.

[trustnobody]

Sums up the Russian army... unprofessional rabble...

[lilly]

How much British loot over centuries and still not returning

[governmentlab]

They couldn't loot the beautiful museum building. Because it's too heavy.

[MrArcadius]

Were there no washing machines left? Or at least a raccoon?

[carmelellul]

The Russians pillaged, in their corrupt terms, Liberated the artifacts.

[knessing]

They had plenty of time and warning that the russians were coming since 2014, they got no one to blame but themselves for not having a plan to evacuate those goods. Same thing for being invaded, Ukraine had plenty of time to acquire arms and equipment for defense after what happened in 2014, but instead had to beg for scraps and dated weapons & equipment from other nations and using ww1 & 2 relics. Ukraine let the invasion happen, they got no one but to blame but themselves in the end.

[prsenk]

Now the whole world knows what kind of barbarians they are!

[x]

*sigh*

Folks, you were supposed to raid the war museum, not the art museum. There are no T-34 in the art museum, dammit.

[fefafafe]

Russia's people had informed that them Military what did in Kherson Region also Ukraine's history & culture?
It's absolutely, they did a huge crime.
FR.

[simonesauerland]

Where is the Ukraine Sanktions there?? As they have requested from the Germans not buy oil to pay for the war on Ukraine and now Ukraine has given there most previous art to Russians to pay to the war????😮😮

[XNY_Music]

Ah, the spoils of special military operations.

[janbezziemi]

Nihil novi sub sole. Russians did that many times in the past in many different places. They are barbarians who must be treated with the iron fist. And it looks like Ukrainians are giving them a very tough lesson. Slava Ukraini! Slava Hierojam! Greetings from Poland to Ukrainian Sisters and Brothers!!!!

[JoanDoris]

Why didn't the museum people hide the art? Seems like the thing to do in times of war. Didn't we learn from Germany's theft of art?

[morho]

thank god it is safe now. no revenge on artefacts will take place.

[HzHz]

Nope this does not ring true. It is so clean & ordered.

[hircynowca]

Germany make same thing during ww2now the rich..