The specialized agency of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) interrupted all contacts with administrations of cultural heritage sites in the Crimea, while the organization's employees stayed on the peninsula. This was stated in Paris by the permanent representative of Russia in UNESCO, Alexander Kuznetsov, said Kryminform on Tuesday, July 4.

"The Crimea is completely cut off from the activities of UNESCO, although all the people who used to work with this organization when the peninsula was part of Ukraine stayed in their places. Now all contacts with them are completely stopped, because it is believed that the continuation of communication will be an indirect recognition of Russia's sovereignty in the Crimea, "said Kuznetsov.

He noted that earlier the organization cooperated with the State Museum-Reserve "Chersonese Tavrichesky", the associated schools, departments and scientific centers of the region. And now, according to the Russian representative, "UNESCO just threw all these people and feeds on propaganda from Kiev, where there are protests against the allegedly poorly contained objects of cultural heritage, journalists are persecuted, Crimean Tatars are persecuted and so on".

Thus, at present, work has been stopped on giving the status of World Heritage and other objects located in the Crimea.

Meanwhile, if the organization wants to send observers to the peninsula, the Russian side will accept it, Kuznetsov stressed.. However, UNESCO does not dare to take such a step.

"They are afraid, because a lot of questions immediately arise: how to go to the Crimea? Through Ukraine this is impossible, and through Moscow - indirect recognition of Russia's sovereignty," he said.. According to Kuznetsov, this is a "deadlock situation," which will continue "for a while".

The day before it became known that the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine plans to apply to international organizations, including UNESCO, in connection with the exhibition opened in Moscow on June 29 in the State Museum. Pushkin "Panticapaeum and Phanagoria. Two capitals of the Bosporan kingdom ". Kiev believes that the conduct of Russian archaeological works in the Crimea and the organization of exhibitions with discovered artifacts violates Ukrainian law and the provisions of international law.

"Even without the territorial connection of the Crimea to Ukraine or Russia, all artifacts and valuables found on the peninsula are primarily owned by the region. Crimea in its own territory is free to conduct any excavations, retrieve found items and exhibit in any city of the world at its discretion. All the attempts of Kiev today to declare the opposite are useless, "- so commented yesterday the movement of the Ministry of Culture of the Independent member of the Federation Council from the Republic of Crimea, Sergei Tsekov.

Recall, in 2017 g. In the UNESCO World Heritage List there are 26 titles bearing the notation "Russian Federation". Also in the register is the ancient city of Tauric Chersonesos, which in the description is marked "Ukraine". Moscow views it as an object of world heritage on the territory of the Russian Federation.

In addition, by 2014. A few more cultural sites of the peninsula claimed to be included in the list of world heritage - the Khan's Palace with a complex of cave towns in the Bakhchsarai district and the Vorontsov Palace on the southern coast of the Crimea.