Russian troops in Ukraine are deliberately attacking the country's museums, libraries and other cultural institutions, according to a report issued Friday by the U.S. and Ukrainian chapters of the international writers' organization 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, theaters and historical sites, he attempts to make it so.”
