UNESCO condemns attack on Sevastopol panorama

PARIS, June 10. /TASS/. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) condemns the attack on the building housing the Panorama of the Siege of Sevastopol (1854-1855), the international organization’s press service has told TASS.

The museum building was attacked by a Ukrainian drone in the early hours of June 10.

"UNESCO voices alarm over reports of damage to the "Panorama of the Defence of Sevastopol" historic museum in Sevastopol, Crimea," the organization’s press service said in a written response to a TASS request. "In accordance with its mandate and with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2601 (2021), UNESCO condemns attacks against cultural property, educational institutions, students, education personnel and media professionals, protected under international law."

The organization said that at this point, the United Nations has no access to the area, and its specialists could not verify details and circumstances of the attack, reported by local authorities.

A targeted Ukrainian drone strike had caused a fire in the building housing the Panorama of the Siege of Sevastopol (1854-1855) in the early hours of June 10. The fire was ranked as a Category 4 fire on a five-tier scale, but no casualties were reported. Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said the panorama was almost destroyed. Razvozhayev said that the same had happened during the Great Patriotic War, and that the panorama would be restored as it had been done in the mid-20th century.