40 historical buildings damaged after Russian missile strikes on Kharkiv

On January 23, 2024, the enemy targeted the central part of Kharkiv with missiles. As a result, the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, the Annunciation Cathedral, and residential buildings in modern and constructivist styles were affected.

“There is severe damage (to the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine – ed)(…) One of the two missiles hit the hall on the second floor, and the second hit the courtyard. The ceilings and roof collapsed, and the interior decoration was largely destroyed beyond repair. There was authentic parquetry in the rooms, and now you can see the debris under the rubble and the carpentry: doors, some windows, and moldings in the interiors, and this is now destroyed,” told architect and representative of the “NEMOlab” initiative Viktor Dvornikov in a comment to Suspilne Kharkiv.

The academy building was originally constructed in 1896 as a merchant estate. Although it underwent significant changes during the reconstruction in the early 20th century, the first two floors still preserved their authentic features and interiors corresponding to the architectural composition of that period.

One of the religious sites in Kharkiv, the Annunciation Cathedral, was also damaged by the attack on January 23: stained-glass windows, which have artistic and historical value, were affected.

“The restoration work on them will be very complex. I talked to the abbot, and he says they have special scaffolding for internal work, but unfortunately, those do not reach the broken windows (…) Plus, the roof, which most likely also suffered [from Russian attack – ed.], has not been examined yet,” explained architect Victor Dvornikov.

In addition, the missile attack damaged residential buildings in modern and constructivist styles on the central streets of Kharkiv.

According to the architect, about 40 historical objects were damaged as a result of the Russian missile attack on Kharkiv on January 23. “All these buildings need to be restored because these are objects of cultural heritage, and they all contribute to the historical appearance of the city center,” concluded architect Victor Dvornikov.