Russian forces have taken thousands of Ukrainian cultural objects during the war

Ukraine is struggling to recover thousands of artworks and other cultural objects lost during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Missing records and lack of access to occupied territories make the full scale of damage impossible to know.

Some institutions like the Kherson Art Museum preserved detailed digital archives that now aid investigations.

But many others lack sufficient documentation to prove what was taken.

Prosecutors say cases cannot proceed without precise inventories.

Ukrainian officials estimate that thousands of cultural sites have been damaged and tens of thousands of items looted.

A recent extradition case in Europe offers a rare prospect of accountability.