Ukraine Needs More Restorers and Cultural Rescuers – Conclusions from the Rescue Operation at the Boychuk Academy after the Russian Missile Strike

On March 25, 2024, a Russian missile strike on Kyiv partially destroyed the building of the Mykhailo Boychuk State Academy of Decorative and Applied Arts and Design. The central part of the building, which housed unique art pieces, was obliterated.

From March to August 2025, with the support of UNESCO, rescue operations took place on the Academy’s premises. Two intensive one-day training sessions were also held as part of the real-life rescue operation, attended by over 70 specialists in art and heritage protection. The results of these efforts and broader conclusions were discussed during a thematic briefing on October 21 held at the Academy.

Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine, presented the outcomes of the rescue work and highlighted the importance of professional training during the operation. Over 600 rescued art pieces were properly documented, photographed, cleaned, disinfected, and conserved. Seventy-one professionals from museums, heritage protection institutions, and art schools enhanced their knowledge of emergency response for heritage preservation. Ms. Chiara emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach and synergy between institutions and specialists. The Boychuk Academy case allowed testing effective cooperation algorithms. With support from the Government of Japan, UNESCO enabled the clearing of debris, extraction, stabilization, and preservation of art objects.

Olena Osadcha, Rector of the Academy, believes that the missile strike on the institution continues the deliberate destruction of Ukrainian identity. The destroyed section housed the Academy’s museum, which contained the best student works from the last 20 years.
“The Academy bears the name of Mykhailo Boychuk, a Ukrainian artist executed by Russians in 1937 for creating a syncretic national style and identity in Ukrainian art. The Academy continues his mission — to develop Ukraine’s artistic potential based on national heritage and traditions,” she said.
The rescue operation revealed a major issue in cultural heritage preservation — the severe shortage of professional restorers and relevant educational programs.

This point was reinforced by Svitlana Strelnikova, Director of the National Research and Restoration Center of Ukraine. Due to the war, the number of heritage items requiring restoration has multiplied, yet there are fewer than 300 certified restorers in Ukraine. For comparison, around 20 restorers participated in the Boychuk Academy rescue operation — an insufficient number given the scale of damage. Ukraine urgently needs to expand professional training programs in this field.

The rescue efforts were conducted by the Agency for Cultural Resilience (ACURE) together with members of the National Cultural Rescue Team. Ihor Poshyvailo, General Director of the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity and ACURE coordinator, explained that the scale of challenges in wartime cultural heritage rescue requires systematic responses and builds unique expertise.
“The Academy operation not only applied the rescuers’ existing skills but also became a platform for gaining new ones. Since 2022, we have been striving not only to respond where cultural heritage is endangered or damaged but also to develop efficient rapid-response mechanisms. Protecting national identity requires systematic preparation, personal motivation, significant resources, and cooperation between institutions. We have created an algorithm for such coordination, where cultural heritage is treated as a component of national security and prioritized in emergency response. The Boychuk Academy operation followed this strategy — enabling the preservation of hundreds of art pieces.”

In total, about 1,000 artworks were rescued from the debris. Some of them are now on display on the first floor of the Academy’s central building.

The rescue operation was carried out with the support of UNESCO and the Government of Japan in Ukraine. The project was implemented by the Agency for Cultural Resilience (ACURE) in cooperation with the National Research and Restoration Center of Ukraine, the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.