PEN Ukraine urges world leaders to reinforce sanctions against Russia

Members of PEN Ukraine have called on international authorities to tighten sanctions against Russia following new violations of humanitarian law.

The statement was released amid a massive attack launched by Russia against Ukraine on March 24, 2026.

“PEN Ukraine shares heartfelt condolences with those affected by Russia’s massive attack launched on 24 March 2026 and calls upon the world for a more principled response to the actions of the aggressor state.

“Russia shells Ukraine almost daily, violating laws and customs of the war. Just last day, herewith, Russian army used up to one thousand unmanned aerial vehicles guided to regions across the country,” the statement read.

“Notwithstanding international humanitarian law, they aimed again at civilian infrastructure, from a maternity hospital in Ivano-Frankivsk to private houses in Kherson; from the central park in Vinnytsia to a commuter train in the Kharkiv region. Dozens of civilians, including children, were their victims again. They were fueled by rage again. Their strike against Lviv’s Ensemble of the Historic Center, listed as part of the World Heritage by UNESCO almost 30 years ago, is another piece of painful evidence of their criminal tactics. Architectural monuments of national significance, dated back to the 17th century, were damaged. Premises in which the precious documents of the National Archive Fund are stored have been at risk.

“New war crimes committed on 24 March 2026 prove that Russia seeks not only to destroy Ukrainians’ cultural identity but also to erase pages from the history of all nations that have ever lived on the territory of Ukraine. Continuously boasting of its own high culture, Russia de facto exhibits its complete disregard for other nations’ cultural heritage. It is especially worth noting that such deeds are committed when Russia hypocritically tries to get back to the world’s leading cultural venues. Russian drones destroy Renaissance churches just as discussions on Russia’s participation in the Venice Biennale are in full progress.

“We call on foreign governments to expand military technological cooperation with Ukraine and to increase sanctions against Russia in the context of its new violations of international humanitarian law, including blocking Russians from participation in cultural events. We call upon leading international organizations and relevant foreign authorities to strengthen the expert support of Ukraine in ensuring effective investigation of international crimes, and to assist in protection of their witnesses and survivors. We appeal to UNESCO and the Blue Shield organization to revitalize the work on protecting cultural values in Ukraine and to spread objective information about their destruction committed by the Russian Federation,” representatives of PEN Ukraine added.

The Ukrainian side has also appealed to relevant international organizations and foreign authorities, requesting that they strengthen their expert support to ensure the effective investigation of international crimes, as well as the protection of witnesses and victims.

The statement was endorsed by 60 Ukrainian cultural figures, including writers, journalists, historians, and human rights activists. The full text of the statement and the complete list of signatories can be found at the link.

As reported, the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has documented more than 175 cases of abuses against journalists by Russia over the course of nearly four years of full-scale war.

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Image: BBC, Ruslan Martsynkiv

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