BETWEEN MONITORING AND OPERATIONAL PROTECTION: CHALLENGES FOR UNESCO’S ACTIVITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RUSSO-UKRAINIAN WAR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29038/2524-2679-2026-01-368-382Keywords:
UNESCO, Ukraine, russo-ukrainian war, cultural heritage, challenges, threatsAbstract
The relevance of the study is due to the destabilization of the global security system and the increase in the number of armed conflicts, which has forced international institutions, in particular UNESCO, to review their operational mechanisms. It has been determined that, thanks to its many years of experi-ence, UNESCO has played a leading role in coordinating the international community’s efforts to support Ukraine in recent years. The organization continuously monitors the situation, which allows it to respond quickly to constantly changing challenges. It has repeatedly confirmed its unwavering support for the Ukrainian people, emphasizing the priority of the strategic restoration of the country’s cultural and educational sectors as an integral part of national security. The article analyzes the transformation of UNES-CO’s activities in Ukraine: from remote monitoring of the situation in oc-cupied Crimea (2014–2022) to the deployment of an operational protection model after the start of full-scale aggression. The article examines in detail the main areas of UNESCO’s activities: monitoring damage to cultural heri-tage sites, marking monuments with the “Blue Shield” sign, digitizing cul-tural heritage through 3D modeling, and supporting continuity of education by providing digital equipment and creating distance learning hubs. Particu-lar attention has been paid to the protection of journalists and support for the media, as well as the strengthening of UNESCO’s diplomatic activity. It has been found that despite its large-scale efforts, UNESCO faces a number of critical challenges and threats. These include systematic attempts by the aggressor to destroy Ukrainian identity, lack of access to monitoring in tem-porarily occupied territories, a financial deficit, and the threat of repeated attacks on cultural heritage sites, as well as the Organization’s institutional crisis related to the complexity of excluding the Russian Federation from its governing bodies. Prospects for further research have been formulated, particularly in the field of information and communication activities and the implementation of “Smart Protection” standards for world heritage sites.
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