Ukraine needs nearly $9 billion to rebuild its cultural sites and tourism industry, UN agency says

PARIS (AP) — The United Nations’ cultural agency says Ukraine will need nearly $9 billion over the next decade to rebuild its cultural sites and tourism industry following Russia’s invasion and war. UNESCO released new statistics on Tuesday on the impact of the war that started two years ago this month. The agency estimates that the country’s interlinked culture and tourism sector have lost over $19 billion in revenue. The agency estimates that the total cost of destruction to those cultural sites, and thousands of other “cultural assets” around the country, comes to nearly $3.5 billion. The head of the UNESCO office in Ukraine cited the cathedral in the city of Odesa as an example. UNESCO says the intentional destruction of important religious sites may amount to a war crime.