Cultural Genocide: Occupiers Try to Destroy the Unique Church of Petro Mohyla in Mariupol.

Occupiers in Mariupol continue to destroy Christian shrines, this time the Church of Saint Petro Mohyla and the Assumption Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary are under threat.

The Church of Saint Petro Mohyla and the Assumption Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary are unique structures listed in the Book of Records of Ukraine as the only churches in the world fully decorated with Petrykivka painting. Handcrafted by artist Olga Cheremushkina, the ornamental style makes the buildings important symbols of Ukrainian cultural heritage.

Russian occupiers decided to bring the churches in line with the canons of the Russian Orthodox Church and involved so-called “Orthodox volunteers” for this purpose. The destruction of cultural heritage has caused sharp condemnation from the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications.

“The destruction of the Mariupol Church of Saint Petro Mohyla and the Assumption Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an outright act of cultural genocide. The occupiers deliberately destroy our cultural heritage, intending to erase everything that forms Ukrainian identity. The desire to change the unique decoration of the churches in accordance with the ROC canons is a direct attempt to displace Ukrainian culture and impose foreign values on us. These churches, which were a spiritual support for Mariupol residents in the most challenging times, are now turning into an instrument of enemy propaganda. I strongly condemn such barbaric actions and emphasize: Ukraine will always fight for the preservation of its cultural symbols. Illegal ‘remodeling’ of churches will not erase our memory or destroy our connection to our own history,” said Ukraine's Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Mykola Tochitskyi.