Culture wars: the fight to save Ukraine’s art – podcast

The Chernobyl Museum in Kyiv, recently renovated to mark the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, has become another casualty of Russia's aggression. The museum, which served as a vital site of memory for an independent Ukraine, was reopened just weeks before being destroyed by a powerful missile strike.

Charlotte Higgins, the Guardian’s chief culture writer, tells Annie Kelly that this tragic loss is not an isolated incident. It serves as a harrowing focal point for a much larger, unfolding crisis threatening the history of the entire nation. Higgins explains that beyond the destruction of physical structures, this is a systematic assault on Ukrainian identity.

From the bombardment of historic landmarks and religious sites to the loss of unique cultural archives, the conflict is increasingly being waged against the nation’s artistic and historical heritage. These events demonstrate deliberate efforts to erase Ukraine's cultural roots, which are an integral part of the country's independence and identity.