Ukrainian Culture Under Attack

Link to The race to save a nation’s memory before it’s lost foreverThe race to save a nation’s memory before it’s lost forever

When Russian missiles struck the heart of Lviv’s historic district in September 2024—just before our Ark team’s journey to the city—the damage extended far beyond bricks and mortar. Among the civilian casualties were centuries-old buildings, schools, and cultural monuments, each a silent witness to Ukrainian identity. This wasn’t the first time cultural heritage had been caught in the crossfire. But this attack, targeting a UNESCO-protected area, made an increasingly undeniable reality painfully clear: Ukrainian culture is being deliberately targeted.

What is a nation without its history, its culture, its shared memory? This question resonates deeply in Italy—a country where culture and history are foundational to identity, current realities, and future opportunities. That’s why Italy has long championed the protection of global cultural heritage, from archaeological sites and historical artifacts to intangible cultural assets. And that is what we believe in, too.

Since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has been fighting not only for its territory but also for its memory. Cultural sites have been bombed, libraries set ablaze, and museums looted. As of April 16, 2025, UNESCO has verified damage to 485 sites, including 149 religious buildings, 257 historic and/or artistic structures, 34 museums, 33 monuments, 18 libraries, 1 archive, and 2 archaeological sites. “This is a war against our memory, against our identity and culture, and of course against our future,” says Ihor Poshyvailo, director of the Maidan Museum in Kyiv.

A Modest Revolution

Driven by the conviction that a nation must always remember where it comes from—both in times of war and peace—a new mobile safeguarding unit launched its first historic mission in the heart of Kyiv. Modest in appearance but revolutionary in purpose, it is part of the "Ark for Ukraine" project, an initiative that merges cutting-edge technology with cultural solidarity. Developed by the Karel Komárek Family Foundation (KKFF) in cooperation with the Czech and Ukrainian Ministries of Culture, the Czech National Library, and the National Museum, the Ark project is a mobile initiative to digitally preserve Ukraine’s endangered cultural treasures before they vanish forever.

The project’s origins are rooted in the painful history of the Czech Republic. The devastating floods of the late 1990s and early 2000s destroyed countless cultural materials, prompting a national campaign to digitize archives and safeguard them from future loss. The hard-won expertise gained during that time is now being applied in Ukraine. “We knew how to respond because we had experienced disasters affecting cultural heritage,” explains the head of research and development labs at the Czech National Library.

The Ark mobile units operate like field hospitals for culture. The first vehicle, Ark I, is equipped with specialized tools for urgent on-site interventions and repairs of library collections, including a portable supply of essential materials. It has been deployed to partner institutions across Ukraine to support local professionals working under siege. One of these is Oleh Serbin, director of the Yaroslav the Wise National Library of Ukraine. “We organize training and development courses so that our colleagues can bring this knowledge to the regions and be ready to welcome the station. Once it arrives, it can start operating immediately.”

Now, with the launch of Ark III, the initiative is entering even more ambitious territory: 3D scanning of museum artifacts. Housed in a compact van, Ark III travels to at-risk museums, capturing the shapes and intricate details of sculptures, ceremonial objects, and folk art using advanced 3D imaging. These digital models can be archived, studied, and—if needed—used one day to recreate what was lost.

A Race Against Time

“It’s a race against time,” says Maksym Ostapenko of the “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” National Reserve. “We’ve already hidden some artifacts in the basements. But if the building is hit, they could be crushed. With Ark, we know their stories can survive.”

The impact is not only technical. The presence of Ark teams—often with Czech and Ukrainian experts working side by side—sends a powerful message. “It shows we are not alone,” Ostapenko says. “Someone far away understands that our culture matters.”

This awareness is growing. At cultural forums, European leaders have stressed the urgency. Oleksandra Matviichuk, a human rights lawyer, addressed guests at a fundraising event in London in February 2025: “Putin openly claims there is no Ukrainian nation, no Ukrainian language, no Ukrainian culture. For 11 years we have documented how these words turned into a horrific practice.”

The international community is beginning to respond. UNESCO has granted enhanced protection to 20 Ukrainian cultural sites. The UK has declared the destruction of cultural heritage a war crime. But the fieldwork—quiet, technical, and tireless—is led by Ukrainians themselves, supported by Ark’s mobile communication lifelines.

A Public-Private Partnership

Donations from private citizens and philanthropic organizations are helping to expand Ark’s reach. Plans include additional vehicles, training for Ukrainian cultural operators, and the creation of secure digital archives. Each contribution supports not only the equipment but also the people using it to save their history.

The Karel Komárek Family Foundation has already secured 50% of the funding needed to sustain and grow the Ark project. It now calls on individuals, institutions, and partners worldwide to help complete the mission. “The reason we are part of this project is because we grew up in Czechoslovakia, which was once under Soviet influence. We all remember very well what freedom means. Freedom of expression and freedom of culture are vitally important for every nation. Without culture, a country is just a territory—without a past, and without a future,” says Karel Komárek, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

In a conflict marked by loss, the Ark project offers something rare: a means of preservation, and even restoration. It captures images and data, preserving dignity. In doing so, it ensures Ukraine’s story will not be silenced. Because if Ukraine’s history is lost, it’s not just Ukraine that suffers. The history of Europe—and indeed our shared human history—becomes incomplete.

As director Poshyvailo says, “They may try to destroy our monuments. But as long as we remember—and as long as we preserve what we can—they will never destroy our memory.”