Espreso. Global

Russia destroys Crimea's Chersonesus landmark, builds theater in its place

27 June, 2024 Thursday
10:29

Russian construction companies in occupied Crimea have completely destroyed the world-famous monument of Tauric Chersonese, replacing it with an open-air theater

client/title.list_title

Evelina Kravchenko, a senior researcher at the Institute of Archeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, said this at the III International Forum of the Crimean Platform Expert Network, UP.Life reports

According to her, Russian developers have built an open-air theater on the site of the archaeological excavations. At the same time, some of the archaeological finds were taken to Russian museums.

Kravchenko said that Russia is destroying the authenticity of the monuments with new buildings. 

"Negative processes are now taking place with the only monument of world significance that we managed to nominate and include in the list of monuments in Crimea - Tauric Chersonese," she said. 

Back in 2015-2016, Russian developers covered the archaeological remains that were on the surface with viewing platforms, including towers, walls, and columns. Later, they built an open-air theater on the site of Chersonese, putting a load of about a ton on the monument.

"The Russians didn't know anything about the geological situation at this site, so they started excavating the soil with ordinary excavators. Somehow, they dug up an ancient spring there, so everything was flooded," Kravchenko said.

The scholar said that Russia also took some of the archaeological finds, including frescoes, dishes, household items, and icons, to its museums. 

  • On July 5, 2023, reports indicated that Russian-appointed administration in Sevastopol was preparing documents for the removal of more than 300,000 exhibits from the Tauric Chersonese Museum-Reserve for alleged restoration. At that time, the Russian appointees prepared acts of "transfer for restoration for further display outside the museum" for 300,000 exhibits from the collections. 
  • Later, it was reported that the Russians were excavating the ruins of the ancient and Byzantine city-state of Chersonese, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They aim to use these excavations to support claims that the site belongs to Russia.
Tags:
Read also:
  • News
2025, Tuesday
18 February
21:30
EU plans to provide Ukraine with €6 billion military aid package amid US-Russia talks
21:15
Exclusive
Massive Russian force gathers near Ukraine's Lyman as attacks intensify
21:01
Exclusive
"Signal to world and primarily Europe": MP Tsymbaliuk on US-Russia negotiations
20:42
Ukraine will not legally recognize Russian-occupied territories, says Zelenskyy
20:26
Turkey is ideal for negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and US, says Erdogan
20:11
Updated
Fox News reports on proposed three-stage peace plan by Russia and US. Lavrov claims he hasn't seen it
19:56
Exclusive
Ukraine prepares for elections, says former SBU officer
19:40
OPINION
How 50% became stumbling block in Ukraine-US relations
19:25
UK Defence Secretary declares world is in "new era of threat"
19:09
How Ukrainian simulators help troops master new weapons
18:50
Exclusive
EU plans to extend sanctions against Russia - Espreso correspondent from Brussels
18:31
US-Ukraine mineral deal terms worse than Germany's post-war reparations – The Telegraph
18:10
Ukraine won't accept Russia's ultimatums: Zelenskyy on US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia
17:52
Zelenskyy, First Lady inaugurate Ukraine's new Embassy building in Ankara
17:30
Europe ready to ramp up defense efforts for Ukraine amid global pressure — Ursula von der Leyen
17:11
Russia says European peacekeepers in Ukraine would be viewed as “escalatory step”
16:54
Exclusive
Trump appears to be outmaneuvering both Beijing and Moscow, says political analyst
16:36
Exclusive
EU aims to compete with U.S. for global influence – Espreso correspondent from Brussels
16:15
Ukraine’s strike on rare Russian S-350 puts pressure on Moscow’s defenses
15:55
Ukraine Russia war live map, February 5-12
Russia's year-long push for Pokrovsk shows no success: military observer explains why
15:27
Exclusive
Europe faces a new reality – Ukrainian MP Knyazhytskyi from Paris
15:12
Lithuania calls for security guarantees before considering troop deployment to Ukraine
15:06
Updated
U.S. and Russia hold over 4-hour talks in Saudi Arabia
14:55
Ukraine allocates over $35 million to maintain Chornobyl shelter
14:31
Russia enhances accuracy of North Korean KN-23 missiles — Ukraine's spy chief
14:22
Reuters streams live from Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv authorities respond
14:16
Exclusive
If U.S. invades Russia, no one will resist — psychologist
13:53
Ukraine recovers 7,017 fallen defenders' bodies since start of Russia’s full-scale invasion
13:31
Exclusive
Ukraine needs two things to prevent Russia’s northeastern advance — Achilles regiment
12:52
China calls for "all parties" in Russia-Ukraine war to join peace talks
12:37
Poroshenko believes Zhevago is under sanctions because his family owns Espreso TV channel
12:17
OPINION
Ukraine buys time for Europe to wake up
11:55
Exclusive
Security guarantees for Ukraine have nothing to do with peacekeeping forces in war zone — expert
11:34
Firefighting ongoing at Chornobyl NPP following Russian drone strike
11:15
Review
Russia escalates attacks on Ukraine amid latest U.S. statements. Serhiy Zgurets’ column
10:52
Exclusive
"Step toward U.S.-Russia dialogue": expert on upcoming meeting in Saudi Arabia
10:34
Russian UAV attack on Ukraine: Mother, two children injured in Kirovohrad region; debris sparks fires in Kyiv
10:27
Ceasefire between Russia, Ukraine would not end martial law — Defense Committee
09:57
Europe may deploy up to 30,000 troops to Ukraine
09:35
Russia loses 1,170 soldiers, 12 tanks, 181 UAVs in one day of war in Ukraine
More news