President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Decree No. 726/2026 on August 15, “On the National Shrines of the Ukrainian People,” which provides for the creation of a separate status for unique sites of Ukraine’s historical, spiritual and cultural heritage. This is stated in the president’s decree, UNN reports.
Details
By August 24, the Cabinet of Ministers is to prepare a draft law on the protection of national shrines. The document is to define the criteria for granting the relevant status and the procedure for compiling a list of such sites.
The list is proposed to include, in particular, national heritage monuments and UNESCO World Heritage sites that are prominent centers of the historical memory, spirituality and culture of the Ukrainian people, as well as of the formation of the Ukrainian political nation and statehood.
National shrines to be protected through separate state programs
The future law is also to provide for additional measures to protect such sites, the powers of government bodies regarding their protection, and liability for the destruction or ruin of national shrines.
The government was also instructed to step up preparations of Ukrainian nominations for the UNESCO World Heritage List and improve state policy on the protection of national heritage monuments amid Russian aggression.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to strengthen efforts to inform the international community about Russia’s crimes against Ukraine’s cultural heritage and facilitate bringing the Russian Federation to justice.
In addition, the MFA was instructed to attract international aid and investor funds, as well as reparations and other payments collected from Russia, for the protection, preservation and restoration of Ukrainian monuments.