The war between Russia and Ukraine has garnered global attention as it has expanded from a simple cross-border conflict to contention over historical artifacts and cultural heritage.

Despite Ukraine's efforts to safeguard its artifacts amid the prolonged conflict, challenges have intensified due to the conflict with Russia.

In November 2023, BBC reported that ancient "Golden Artifacts" had returned to Ukraine after a decade-long ownership conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

This historic collection, comprising Scythian gold treasures dating back to the 4th century BCE, was returned to the Kyiv History Museum after being showcased in four Crimean museums and one in Kyiv for an exhibition in Amsterdam's Allard Pierson Museum.

A month following the exhibition, the Crimean Peninsula underwent an annexation through vote, while both Ukraine and Russia claimed ownership of the Scythian golden artifacts.

This ensued a legal battle between the two nations, with Ukraine winning the first trial but facing a favorable ruling for Russia in the second trial.

In June 2023, the Netherland Supreme Court ruled that the approximately 400 pieces of "Scythian Gold" cultural heritage held at the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam should be returned to Ukraine's jurisdiction.

The museum expressed satisfaction with the clarity achieved through the legal process.

The National Museum of History of Ukraine, which received the artifacts, stated that it would safeguard them until the liberation of the Crimean Peninsula from Russian occupation.

This conflict extends beyond mere economic and political disputes, encompassing pride in each country's history and identity.

The Scythian Golden Treasure, formed through cultural exchanges with ancient Greece, is considered the national history and identity of both Ukraine and Russia.

The ownership dispute reflects not only a matter of property ownership but also a historical competition between the two nations.

Ukraine claims rightful ownership based on the artifacts being located within their current territory.

However, since Ukraine gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia considers Ukraine a non-independent state and asserts that the gold artifacts belong to Russia.

Despite both Russia and Ukraine claiming Scythian ancestry, historical evidence shows that the Scythian people were of Iranian or Mongolian origin, unrelated to Russia.

The nomadic Scythians lived in present-day Ukraine and the Crimean Peninsula around 2700 years ago.

Efforts to protect the Scythian Golden Treasure symbolize Ukraine's struggle for complete independence and sovereignty amid its conflict with Russia, impacting the dispute over significant European historical artifacts.

Golden artifacts not only possess weight and aesthetic beauty but also offer the advantage of providing insights into the information, ideas, and customs of their era.

These artifacts serve as symbols of national identity and confidence, encapsulating the customs and ideologies of the past, and holding significant value.

Due to wars, there are increasing occurrences of cultural damage with numerous cultural heritage sites being destroyed or looted.

This situation undermines the histories and identities of each nation.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the war has escalated into a full-scale assault, leading to the destruction of Ukraine's cultural landmarks and the looting of museums.

Additionally, artifacts have been illicitly exported.

In 2017, the International Committee of the Red Cross, through the Geneva Conventions, stated, "Attacking the culture of a nation is attacking the humanity of that nation. Historical monuments, works of art, and archaeological sites known as cultural property are protected by the rules of war."

Despite such a statement, Russia continues to attack Ukraine's intangible heritage and creative industries through the war.

The ongoing conflict highlights the importance of adhering to international agreements, such as the Geneva Conventions, in order to protect and maintain cultural heritage during times of war.

Russia's actions pose a threat to Ukraine's national heritage and creative industries, violating established rules that were designed to safeguard cultural property.

Cultural Property Protection (CPP) has a long history in military law; the Lieber Code of 1863 recognized the United States as the first nation to incorporate CPP into military policy.

The ongoing conflict over cultural heritage significantly impacts Europe's cultural legacy and conservation.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has constantly destroyed cultural landmarks and looted museums during the war.

Russia's actions violate international agreements like the Geneva Conventions, which protect cultural heritage during times of war.

The return of the Scythian Golden Treasure to Ukraine highlights the importance of international cooperation in protecting and preserving cultural heritage.

The discussion surrounding the management and protection of historical artifacts prompts museums across Europe to reconsider how they handle their national treasures.

In this context, the ownership dispute over historical artifacts underscores the need for the international community to strengthen norms and mechanisms for the protection of cultural heritage, as these artifacts constitute a shared human legacy.

Each country must invest more effort in safeguarding its historical treasures for the sake of future generations.

Hyun Been Bae 

Grade 11

Woodberry Forest School