“This was done so Russia can say that there is no Ukrainian culture, that Ukrainian identity does not exist," said the director of a museum that was demolished by a Russian strike.
"SKOVORODYNIVKA, Ukraine — When a missile strike reverberated throughout the town of Skovorodynivka at 10:45 p.m. on May 6, Nataliia Micay instantly knew what had been hit.
"But by the time Micay sprinted down the road from her house to the town’s treasured Hryhorii Skovoroda Literary Memorial Museum, it was too late. A massive fire had engulfed the centuries-old yellow building.
"Firefighters and other locals worked through the night to extinguish the flames, hoping to salvage whatever they could. But the building and its contents were burned to the ground.
“ 'This was intentional. It was a prepared plan. They knew that this legacy was here,” Micay said, wading through the scorched remains, pointing to where paintings, sculptures and books had filled the rooms during her nearly 30 years as the museum director.
“ 'This was done so Russia can say that there is no Ukrainian culture, that Ukrainian identity does not exist.”. . .