Ukraine claims Russian soldiers stole ancient gold artifacts

Ukraine claims that more than 250 museums and cultural institutions have been robbed, “damaged” and “destroyed” by the Russians since Moscow began its invasion on February 24.

According to The New York Times, the officials also claim that Russia looted thousands of artifacts worth billions of dollars, especially the Scythian gold, "one of the largest and most expensive collections in Ukraine,” according to Zaporizhzhya Mayor Ivan Fedorov.

The Scythian collection was kept in a museum in the Russian-occupied Melitopol, Zaporizhzhya and dates back to the 4th century B.C. It holds a great symbolic value to the people of Ukraine.

Mariupol City Council officials announced via Telegram recently that Russian forces had stolen "more than 2,000 unique exhibits" from the city's museums—including at least 198 gold items, ornaments in the form of flowers, gold plates, 300-year-old silver coins, unique old weapons, and medals.

(The story was reported by The New York Times.)