Russian strike on Odesa damages around 15 cultural heritage sites – photos
Pravda Ukraine
Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov has reported that around 15 cultural heritage sites were damaged by the powerful blast wave from a Russian strike on Friday, 31 January.
Source: Trukhanov on Telegram
Quote: “The historic centre of Odesa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was once again targeted in a missile attack on 31 January 2025.”
Details: Trukhanov said that the Bristol Hotel, one of the most prominent architectural landmarks in the city centre, suffered significant damage, though the full extent has yet to be assessed.
The powerful blast wave also impacted nearby historic buildings, damaging around 15 cultural heritage sites to varying degrees.
The main damage includes shattered windows and displaced carpentry. Among the affected sites are two national monuments: Odesa State Philharmonic New Exchange and the Vuchini House (19 Italian Street).
Two museums were also affected: Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art and the Odesa Literature Museum (Sicard House).
The stained-glass windows and original carpentry of the large windows with semicircular tops in the buildings of the Union of Architects of Ukraine and the Porto-Franco Bank sustained significant damage.
The most valuable of the damaged buildings, both from an architectural and social perspective, is Odesa State Philharmonic New Exchange. The blast wave shattered the original carpentry of the main entrance, damaged the stained-glass windows, and affected the interior finishes. Experts will assess the impact of the attack on the building’s structural integrity following a further inspection.
Since 2023, the philharmonic building has been under enhanced protection by UNESCO in accordance with the 1999 Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention “On the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict”.
Background:
- Explosions were heard in Odesa on the evening of 31 January. Early reports suggest that the Russians carried out a ballistic strike. The Bristol Hotel was damaged in the blast. Significant destruction occurred within the UNESCO-protected area, affecting buildings under enhanced protection.
- President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Norwegian diplomatic representatives were among the people who were at the epicentre of the Russian missile strike on the city of Odesa on 31 January.
- The number of people injured in an attack had risen to seven.
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