The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, together with the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, is starting work on tracking violations of sanctions in global operations on the art market and preventing illegal trade in art objects stolen by Russian invaders in Ukraine during the war.

As of February 1, 2023, more than 1,500 objects of cultural heritage and cultural infrastructure have been damaged or destroyed by Russian invaders.

In addition, facts are increasingly recorded when important archaeological finds, books, objects of folk and fine art from Ukraine are put up for sale at various auctions and galleries around the world.

The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy and the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, which have started joint work within the framework of the Art Sanct Task Force, will combat this from now on.

Culture minister Oleksandr Tkachenko explained that the group’s goal is to identify art and antiquities stolen during the war in Ukraine, prevent their free circulation in the world, and search for artistic assets of sanctioned Russians with the aim of further freezing these assets and confiscating them.

‘We are in contact with international and Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and specialized organizations to bring Russia to justice, seize its assets in the world and prevent the international traffic of stolen goods’, the minister stated.