Activists do not indulge in illusions about the improvement of the situation regarding the protection of historical sites
According to data from public sources, last year, due to the whims of developers, two architectural monuments disappeared from the map of Kyiv. Additionally, more than 14 sites are under threat of destruction, and nine are in a state of decay. This is happening without the involvement of Russians, who are attacking the Ukrainian capital with kamikaze drones or missiles. The statistics provided are a result of the indifference of the city authorities towards preserving the historical face of Kyiv.
Why this happened and what Kyiv residents can expect in the new year regarding the protection of cultural heritage was investigated by Kashtan NEWS.
Destroying in a new way
As practice shows, last year the “trends” and approaches of the city authorities towards preserving architectural monuments in Kyiv changed somewhat. This opinion was expressed by capital preservationist Dmytro Perov.
If in the year before last, he explains, we mostly saw the dirty work of excavators simply demolishing historical monuments, then in 2024, old buildings in Kyiv frequently caught fire.
In particular, “suddenly,” fires occurred in five historical buildings in the city. Some of them burned multiple times within a short period. In all cases, law enforcement did not identify individuals who might have been involved in these fires, although criminal proceedings were opened regarding these incidents.
Furthermore, the ancient buildings affected by the “red rooster” were not even conserved, as required by technological standards. Not to mention the restoration of these monuments.
0 Additionally, Dmytro Perov reminded us of the case of the Zelensky estate, which excavators leveled to the ground without any significant obstacles. At that time, under public pressure, the city authorities promised to restore the building, but the corresponding work never began.
Without protection, there is no right to exist
Many old buildings are currently at risk of destruction, lacking any protective status that could at least formally shield them from immediate ruin.
At the same time, Dmytro Perov noted that last year there was more, so to speak, bureaucratic work around buildings that caught the attention of developers.
This “work” involved decisions made at sessions of the Kyiv City Council to transfer not only plots where ancient houses without protective status are located but also those officially recognized as monuments, for development. Notably, at the end of the year, there was a rather telling case where, despite the status of a monument, the modernist building “Flying Saucer” by Florian Yuryev began to be gradually consumed by a new shopping and entertainment center. This occurred despite the fact that the restoration was noted in the object's passport!
1 And what about the Supreme Court's decision, which deemed the demolition of the Zelensky estate legal!
It couldn't get worse, but it will
It is naive to think that with the turning of the page in the calendar, the attitude of the Kyiv authorities towards preserving historical buildings will change just as quickly. This is because the city authorities lack political will, and thus desire and interest in preserving the old city.
“This year, I think it will get worse,” — predicts Dmytro Perov.
Why was there a significant number of decisions made last year regarding the registration of land plots where historical buildings are located? Dmytro Perov explains this, in part, by the fact that the price of a deputy's vote has sharply decreased.
However, loud political statements are proclaimed, and even budget funds are allocated “for the preservation of the capital's antiquities.” Yet there are no real actions. Rather, they transform into completely opposite actions that are unrelated to preserving the history of the city. In particular, this includes blocking or refusing to grant protective status to certain old buildings.
2 “Currently, due to the war, ordinary people are suffering, businesses are suffering, and so are the deputies,” — noted Dmytro Perov. — “It seems that fewer ‘orders’ are coming to deputies from developers, and they are forced to undercut prices. In other words, they are agreeing to cooperate with certain developers for much less money or other benefits. And if the economic situation in the country worsens, the situation with illegal construction will also deteriorate: the temptation to enter into some corrupt agreements with developers will only increase for certain deputies.”
Yevhen DEM’YANOV