The Donetsk Regional Local History Museum held an open consultation on the topic ‘Heritage and War: The Genesis of Tools for Monitoring the Condition of Monuments in Occupied Territories.’
The event was organised for representatives of local communities in Donetsk Oblast responsible for cultural heritage protection, as well as museum workers. The meeting was attended by Denys Yashnyi, head of the monitoring group of the Crimean Institute for Strategic Studies, candidate of historical sciences, and leading researcher at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve.
During the consultation, it was emphasised that in the context of full-scale war, traditional mechanisms for monitoring the condition of cultural heritage sites in the temporarily occupied territories have become virtually inaccessible. This requires a transition to new approaches in the work — first and foremost, to systematic remote monitoring of losses and damage.
Using specific examples, participants considered mechanisms for documenting the destruction of archaeological monuments, methods for collecting evidence, and the use of open sources and digital tools to record changes even in the absence of physical access to objects.
The event became a platform for exchanging practical experience and developing a common vision for further action to preserve and record the loss of cultural heritage in wartime.