Australia returns archaeological artifacts smuggled from Ukraine
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry / Telegram
The Australian government has returned two archaeological artifacts to Ukraine after intercepting them at Sydney Airport in 2023, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry announced on Oct. 7.
The items include a Yamna Culture metal pendant (dating to around 3,000 B.C.) and a 12th- or 13th-century arrowhead. Ukrainian authorities say both were illegally smuggled out of Ukraine in late 2023 and seized on arrival in Australia thanks to cooperation between Ukrainian and Australian customs officials and Australia’s Office for the Arts.
The artifacts were confiscated under Australia’s 1986 Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act.
“Returning Ukrainian artifacts restores historical justice and confirms Ukraine’s historical continuity,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a statement.
“It’s especially important as Russia wages a genocidal war against Ukraine and seeks to erase our history. By returning these cultural treasures, Ukraine is not only reclaiming moments of its history but also its right to memory, dignity and cultural continuity, which are part of our fight for freedom and our future.”
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