Russian shelling damages Shevchenko monument in Donbas presented by Ivano-Frankivsk's Kalush community more than two decades ago. Photo

Russian occupation forces damaged a monument to Taras Shevchenko in Novohrodivka, Donetsk region, which is in the Pokrovsk sector, now temporarily occupied. This monument was presented by the community of Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk region, in 2001.

This was announced by Kalush Mayor Andriy Naida on his Facebook page. According to him, Kalush gave the monument to Shevchenko to Novohrodivka as a sign of friendship, unity, and shared love for Ukraine.

The mayor emphasized that this is not just an act of vandalism or destruction of cultural heritage, but another blow to our history, culture and national memory.

"The monument was erected by the efforts of two cities that did not realize that decades later their fates would be so tragically intertwined by war. A photo of the damaged monument was posted by the former mayor of Kalush, Stepan Riznyk, on his page. It was given to him by the former mayor of Novohrodivka, the people who were directly involved in the installation of the monument in 2001," Naida wrote.

He added that the monument in Novohrodivka "was a silent witness to the life and struggle of this city, which has always kept love for Ukraine in its heart."

"And even now, when the enemy tried to destroy this symbol, it remains in its place - mutilated but unbreakable, just like the entire Ukrainian people," the mayor added.

As reported, Russian January 18 strike on Zaporizhzhia damaged St. Andrew's Cathedral of the UOC-MP. It happened the day before Epiphany according to the Julian calendar.

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