Statement on the targeted strikes which destroyed the costume collection of the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio, Ukraine

The PDF file of this Statement can be downloaded HERE.

The Executive Committee of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) unequivocally condemn Russia’s overnight attack on 15 June on various regions of Ukraine, which damaged, among other important cultural sites, the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio in Kyiv. The studio’s costume collection, one of the oldest such collections in Ukraine and home to upwards of 100,000 items, was completely destroyed in this strike, while many other film-related artefacts may have also been affected or remain highly vulnerable.

These aggressive actions against cultural sites, which are becoming deliberate and systematic, are in no way justifiable and call for an appropriate response from the international community. Cultural heritage, including film heritage, must be protected, especially in times of armed conflict.

The FIAF Executive Committee wish to express their solidarity with all cultural institutions affected by these devastating attacks, as well as their continued support for FIAF’s affiliate in Kyiv, the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre, which was thankfully not damaged in the strikes, but whose staff continues to work under extremely difficult circumstances as the war wages on.

Our colleagues in Ukraine, and indeed all archivists, historians, programmers and other cultural practitioners throughout the world, have the right to carry out their mission of safeguarding and disseminating cultural heritage in a stable and peaceful environment, without fearing for the safety of their collections or their premises, nor for their lives. FIAF calls for the unconditional protection of all cultural heritage institutions in Ukraine.

Brussels, 17 June 2026