Ukraine received direct access to Interpol database to search for stolen cultural properties
Ukraine has received direct access to the Interpol database to enter stolen cultural values, the National Police of Ukraine reports. After lengthy consultations and legal analysis, the General Secretariat of Interpol allowed the National Central Bureau in Ukraine to independently upload information about art objects stolen during the temporary occupation of Ukrainian territories, in particular from the museums of Kherson in October-November 2022.
As of mid-February 2026, hundreds of objects have been entered into the international database. A significant part of these items are exhibits that were stolen from the Kherson Regional Museum of Local Lore. The database, in particular, records the theft of Ivan Shulga’s painting “Song of the Zaporozhians”, which disappeared from a museum in Kherson between October 20 and November 10, 2022.
“Anyone can check whether a particular work of art is on the international wanted list using the official INTERPOL ID-Art mobile application,” the report says.
It is noted that providing Ukraine with direct access to the international database has become an important step in protecting national cultural heritage.
