Russian forces pillaged thousands of valuable artifacts and artworks from two museums, a cathedral, and a national archive in the Ukrainian city of Kherson before withdrawing in early November, Human Rights Watch said on December 20. “In the final days of occupying Kherson, Russian forces loaded paintings, gold, silver, ancient Greek artifacts, religious icons, and historical documents onto trucks bound for Russian-controlled territories,” said HRW's Belkis Wille. Since February 24, Russian forces have reportedly looted at least five other cultural institutions in southern Ukraine -- cases that amount to war crimes, HRW said.
