UN steps up satellite tracking of damage to Ukraine culture
The U.N.’s cultural and satellite agencies have joined forces to more systematically track the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the country’s architecture, art, historic buildings and other cultural heritage, and have compiled an initial list of more than 200 sites that have been damaged or destroyed
GENEVA (AP) — The United Nations' cultural and satellite agencies have joined forces to more systematically track the impact of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine’s architecture, art, historic buildings and other cultural heritage, and have compiled an initial list of more than 200 sites that have been damaged or destroyed.
Geneva-based UNOSAT and UNESCO, the Paris-based educational, scientific and cultural agency, announced Wednesday that they are finalizing a database of cultural sites that compares “before and after” images bought from private-sector satellite companies. These will be used to inform experts in a first phase and eventually the wider public about the devastation wreaked on Ukraine's patrimony.
“It’s important for us to document the damage, but also to make sure we have the information available before the recovery,” said Krista Pikkat, who heads the culture and emergencies department at UNESCO.
She said early work began months ago. “We actually realized that, this wealth of information, we needed to put it on a platform for our experts so that we can monitor the situation.”
