General faces trial for museum strike
Prosecutors accuse a Russian air commander of ordering a 2022 missile attack that destroyed the Skovoroda Museum in Kharkiv Oblast.
By Pavel Bell ·
A Russian military general will stand trial in absentia for ordering a missile strike on a historic museum in Ukraine.
The Prosecutor General's Office confirmed the proceedings against Oleh Makovetskyi, a Lieutenant General from Chuhuiv in Kharkiv Oblast. He served as the Commander of the Russian 6th Air and Air Defence Forces Army. Prosecutors say he directed the attack on the Hryhorii Skovoroda National Literary Memorial Museum. The investigation determined that Makovetskyi knew the target was a cultural monument and not a military site. He issued a specific combat order to destroy it. Law enforcement traced the transmission of that order through the commanders of the aviation division and the fighter aviation wing. He faces charges for violating the laws and customs of war as part of a premeditated conspiracy. The potential sentence ranges from 15 years in prison to life.
The museum is located in Skovorodynivka and opened in 1972. It honors the 18th-century Ukrainian philosopher and poet Hryhorii Savych Skovoroda. The complex holds several thousand exhibits, including the philosopher's personal items, books, and artwork. Skovoroda's grave sits near the main building. In May 2022, a Russian missile hit the roof of the structure. The impact caused a massive fire that consumed the entire museum. The 35-year-old son of the museum director was inside to guard the premises overnight. He was injured and pulled from the rubble before being taken to the hospital. Only the statue of the philosopher survived the strike. Staff later collected shards of pottery, metal fragments, and charred books from the site. In 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine identified Ivan Panchenko as the commander who initially ordered the destruction. Panchenko is the commander of the 159th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Western Military District. He was also notified of charges in absentia.
Restorers reconstructed 27 of the museum's exhibits last year. In May of this year, a Russian drone damaged the protective shelter covering the building.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
