Balkan and Ukrainian Experience of Cultural Heritage Protection and Preservation during Military Operations

Abstract

This essay is devoted to comparing the experiences of countries that have experienced wars on their territories and whose cultural heritage has undergone large-scale destruction. We tried to analyze what steps have been taken for conservation, protection and restoration of heritage in the Balkans and how we can use this experience in Ukraine. Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the impact on the archaeological heritage of Ukraine has been devastating countless precious objects and sites have been damaged or destroyed and museums looted. This is one of the innumerable aspects of the Russian war, which has direct consequences for the heritage of all mankind, and such consequences have already occurred in the world in the past. During the conflict in the Balkans, during the war in Afghanistan, during the war in Iraq and in Syria. The task of this work is to take a look on the international legislation of cultural heritage protection, to draw attention to the experience of the Balkan countries in the protection and monitoring of cultural heritage during military operations, compare the foreign experience with the Ukrainian one, understand which methods we can use, and which, on the contrary, are different. Key words: Balkans, Ukraine, cultural heritage, protection of monuments, war.