UNESCO to apply special monitoring mechanism to Derzhprom building in Ukraine's Kharkiv

The decision was made on December 11 during the first day of the 19th meeting of the UNESCO Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. 

Committee members supported the decision to organize an "ad hoc monitoring" mission to Kharkiv, making Ukraine the first country to apply this mechanism. This will allow proper documentation of the damage, coordination of restoration efforts, and collection of evidence to hold Russian war criminals accountable.

Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Mykola Tochytskyi expressed confidence that the results of the "ad hoc monitoring" mission would help document the destruction and submit the findings to the International Criminal Court.

Ad hoc monitoring is focused on a specific case rather than broad application or implementation, functioning as a type of unplanned oversight. It is used across various fields, often by temporary special missions, representatives, organizations, committees, or working groups established for specific tasks. Under the ad hoc principle (to address a particular dispute or disputes under one contract), arbitral tribunals and international commercial arbitration can also be established.

For reference, "Derzhprom" stands for the House of State Industry. It is the most famous constructivist building and a symbol of Kharkiv, constructed between 1925 and 1928 when Kharkiv was the capital of the Ukrainian SSR. Today, it serves as a large office center spanning 60,000 square meters, housing various state and public organizations.

Derzhprom is a complex of towers of varying heights arranged in the shape of the letter "H," consisting of three sections connected by bridge-like passages. This design allows the resonant frequencies of the towers to overlap, reducing vibrations across the entire structure. This method was later adopted in Japan for constructing skyscrapers in earthquake-prone areas.

The builders developed a unique industrial reinforced concrete technology, making Derzhprom the first building in the world constructed entirely of reinforced concrete without a metal frame. The structure was built using the "slipform" method, resulting in a monolithic design.

• During the full-scale Russian invasion, the Derzhprom building was damaged twice. On October 28 of this year, the building was hit during a Russian airstrike on the center of Kharkiv. On November 8, another Russian attack caused significant damage and destruction. A powerful explosion occurred on the seventh entrance at the third-floor level, leading to the collapse of the third and second-floor ceilings, as well as parts of the facade and roof. The shockwave also damaged the structures of other entrances.
• According to the Committee's decision on September 7, 2023, the Derzhprom building is included in the International List of Cultural Heritage under enhanced protection.