Russians have stolen at least 164 archaeological artifacts from Crimea

Russians have stolen at least 164 archaeological artifacts from Crimea, according to the HUR of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.

The HUR has identified 14 Russian “museum workers” involved in propaganda efforts and the theft of Ukrainian cultural treasures in temporarily occupied territories. Among the stolen items are 164 archaeological artifacts, illegally exported from Crimea. These include findings from excavations of the ancient cities of Nymphaea and Pantikapaea.

Since 2022, Russian museums have been systematically promoting propaganda in the occupied regions. Exhibitions, lectures, and educational programs aim to legitimize the occupation, integrate Ukrainian museums into the Russian cultural sphere, and erase Ukrainian identity.

Several key figures involved in these activities have been named:

• Irina Zhukova, director of the “All-Russian Historical and Ethnographic Museum,” organized the 2024 exhibition “Unity through the Ages” in occupied Luhansk to promote the “historical connection of Donbas with Russia.”
• Alexander Shkolnik, director of the “Museum of the Great Patriotic War,” hosted a 2023 training for museum staff from occupied Donetsk on promoting Russian historical narratives.
• Also implicated are Sergei Naryshkin, head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, the “History of the Fatherland” foundation he leads, and the Russian Historical Society, which has established seven branches in Ukraine’s occupied territories.

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