Since beginning of full-scale war, 147 artists and 95 journalists killed in Ukraine

That’s according to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

“The war claimed the lives of 147 Ukrainian artists and 95 media workers. These figures not only show the scale of the losses but also remind us of the tragic pages of our history. Just as the Stalinist regime eliminated a generation of Ukrainian artists in the 20s and early 30s of the twentieth century, so Russia is now deliberately eliminating Ukraine’s cultural elite,” the statement reads.

The ministry noted that Ukraine has already lost a literary and artistic generation known as the “Executed Renaissance,” which gave the world masterpieces of literature, painting, music, and theater.

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“These artists were the pride of our nation. Today, we are once again losing not only talented Ukrainians, but a part of our soul, because each of our artists is a unique personality who enriched Ukrainian culture,” the statement says.

According to the ministry, journalists are now working in Ukraine under conditions of increased risk, and among those killed are not only Ukrainians but also seven foreign media workers who were covering events in Ukraine.

“The systematic crimes against journalists and the media committed by Russia pose a serious threat to freedom of expression and information security, undermining democratic values and human rights,” the ministry said.

As reported, as of December 25, 2024, 2,156 cultural infrastructure facilities have been damaged or destroyed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.