Two stone Polovtsian statues, which are over 800 years old, were evacuated from the front-line village of Bilokuzminivka, Donetsk region.
The process of organizing the evacuation lasted for more than three months and was accompanied by significant difficulties, including danger to the people involved. One of the servicemen of the 3rd separate assault brigade with the call sign «Africa», who since 2023 was one of the initiators and a direct participant in the rescue of monuments, died during the hostilities.
As a result, taking into account the operational situation and at the risk of life, both stone statues were removed from the territory of Bilokuzminivka to the safer Kramatorsk by servicemen of the 56th separate motorized infantry Mariupol brigade. Currently, the cultural objects have been moved to temporary storage in the city of Dnipro, where experts are assessing the state of preservation and studying the artifacts.
According to the preliminary conclusion of experts, the evacuated statues are likely dated to the 11th–13th centuries and belong to the category of Polovtsian sculptures, which have high historical and cultural value and are part of the national heritage of Ukraine. Their evacuation was made possible thanks to the cooperation of journalists, volunteer organizations, military units and scientists. Due to the fact that Bilokuzminivka is located several kilometers from the front line and has suffered significant damage as a result of shelling, the preservation of such objects is of particular importance in the context of protecting cultural heritage in conditions of armed aggression.
Over the years of the full-scale invasion from Donetsk region to Dnipropetrovsk region, 15 stone sculptures have already been moved.
We express our sincere gratitude to the military personnel, volunteers and scientists for preserving the cultural heritage of the country. Military and civilians side by side fight for the right to live in a free, independent state that respects and protects its historical heritage.