Ukraine war, UNESCO condemns Odessa attacks

UNESCO condemned the “disgraceful attack” with which Russia hit some important monuments in Odessa, whose historic center is a “world heritage”. The attack, Russia’s latest in the Black Sea city and one of Ukraine’s most important ports after Moscow withdrew from a grain deal that allowed Kiev to export its grain, killed at least two people. According to the head of the UN organization based in Paris, with the attack there was “an escalation of violence against the cultural heritage of Ukraine”. Particularly affected was the Transfiguration Cathedral, originally built in 1794 under Russian imperial rule, demolished under Soviet leader Stalin in 1936 and rebuilt in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Meanwhile, the delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies headed by Lia Quartapelle (Pd) and composed of Giangiacomo Calovini (FdI), Andrea Crippa (Lega), Arnaldo Lomuti (M5s) and Ettore Rosato (Iv) concluded a four-day mission in Ukraine. The delegation, accompanied by Ambassador Pierfrancesco Zazo, visited Lviv, Kiev, Bucha, Irpin and Odessa and held meetings with political authorities (Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Yevhen Perebyins), parliamentary counterparts (Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Oleksander Merehzkho, Chair of the European Affairs Committee Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze , Deputy President of the Rada Olek Sander Kornienko, President of the Economic Commission Dmytro Natalukha), with civil society, the Apostolic Nuncio, universities, the Italian community in Ukraine. During the visit, the parliamentarians reiterated that Italy strongly condemns Russian aggression and that the Parliament in its entirety will support Ukraine in its path towards joining the European Union and in rebuilding the country, facilitating the work of Italian companies and NGOs. The mission ended in Odessa, with an inspection of the sites hit by Russian bombing that destroyed the cathedral overnight and hit some private homes and the port. The parliamentarians asked the government for an immediate commitment to the reconstruction of the Unesco heritage destroyed by the Russians in the city of Odessa and a diplomatic initiative for the resumption of the agreement on wheat.

Source: IL Tempo

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