Writers organisation: Russian attacks seek 'erasure' of Ukrainian culture

People walk past the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine, following a March bombing of the theatre, which was used as a shelter. Russian troops in Ukraine are deliberately attacking the country's museums, libraries and other cultural institutions, according to a report issued Friday Dec 2, 2022 by the US and Ukrainian chapters of the international writers' organization PEN. Photo: AP

Russian troops in Ukraine are deliberately attacking the country's museums, libraries and other cultural institutions, according to a report issued Friday by the US and Ukrainian chapters of the international writers' organisation PEN.

"Culture is not collateral damage in the war against Ukraine; it's a target, a central pillar of Russian President Vladimir Putin's justification for the war,” the report stated. "Putin has repeatedly claimed that Ukrainian culture and language simply don't exist. By targeting art museums, music halls, libraries, theatres and historical sites, he attempts to make it so.”