UNESCO adds Tauric Chersonese in temporarily occupied Crimea to “in danger” heritage list

UNESCO has added an ancient city in Russian-occupied Crimea to its list of endangered heritage sites, warning that it is under threat from construction work and archaeological activities, the UN organisation stated, and the BBC World Service reported. 

Tauric Chersonese. Photo: Wikipedia

The ruins of Chersonesus date back over two millennia. Chersonesus, which is under the control of the occupying state, the Russian Federation, has suffered large-scale unauthorised excavations, major construction projects and the removal of artefacts. These actions, carried out by the occupying authorities, have caused irreversible damage to the integrity and authenticity of the archaeological site, UNESCO stated.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago, UNESCO has recorded damage to more than 500 cultural sites across the country, including churches, museums, and monuments.

Now, UNESCO has expressed alarm over satellite images of the ancient Crimean site founded by Dorians from Heraclea Pontica in the 5th century B.C., warning of a significant loss of authenticity and integrity.

Ukraine alleges a brand new amphitheatre is being built there, with the foreign minister accusing Russian authorities of ruining the site.

A report prepared by the Ukrainian National Commission for UNESCO in January 2026 provides a detailed description of the site’s state of conservation and highlights critical issues:

• Illegal excavations.
• Improper development.
• Removal of artifacts.
• Management issues during the occupation, among other concerns.

All information is current as of January 2026 and relies on satellite monitoring data and verified reports in accordance with UNESCO reporting conventions, the organisation said

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha welcomed the UNESCO decision and urged the international community to strengthen cooperation in preventing the illicit trafficking of cultural property originating from temporarily occupied Crimea.

Over the years of the Russian occupation of Crimea, the Tauric Chersonese State Historical and Archaeological Reserve, under the leadership of “director” Olena Morozova, has transformed from a historical site into a tool of Kremlin propaganda.

During the occupation of the peninsula, tens of thousands of archaeological artefacts were illegally removed from the city and transferred out of Crimea, or lost due to uncontrolled disposal.

ZMINA previously reported that in 2025, the Tauric Chersonese museum-reserve was included in the European Union’s 17th package of sanctions against Russia.

Keep up with ZMINA on X, BlueSky, and LinkedIn – and help us improve by answering a few quick questions here about our English-language coverage.