General Makovetskyi Faces Life Sentence for 2022 Museum Strike

Prosecutors in Ukraine have moved to try a Russian Lieutenant General for his role in the 2022 destruction of a national literary memorial museum. The decision follows a completed investigation into the chain of command behind the attack on the Hryhorii Skovoroda National Literary Memorial Museum in Kharkiv Oblast.

Oleh Makovetskyi, identified by regional media as the Commander of the Russian 6th Air and Air Defence Forces Army, will stand trial in absentia. The Prosecutor General's Office states that investigators confirmed Makovetskyi issued a direct combat order to destroy the site. They argue he knew the target was a monument of Ukrainian culture, not a military installation. The investigation traced the transmission of that order through commanders of the aviation division and the fighter aviation wing.

The general faces charges for violating the laws and customs of war as part of a premeditated conspiracy by a group of individuals. Depending on the verdict, he could receive a sentence of up to 15 years or a life term in prison.

The museum, founded in 1972, houses several thousand exhibits dedicated to the 18th-century philosopher Hryhorii Savych Skovoroda. The collection includes personal belongings, academic works, ethnographic artifacts, and sculptures. Skovoroda's grave is located near the main building. In May 2022, a Russian missile struck the roof, causing a massive fire that engulfed the structure. The museum director's 35-year-old son, who was guarding the premises, was injured and pulled from the rubble. Only the statue of the philosopher survived the initial impact.

Prior to Makovetskyi's indictment, investigators identified Ivan Panchenko, the commander of the 159th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Western Military District, as another official who ordered the destruction. Law enforcement notified Panchenko of the charges in absentia in 2024. Since the strike, restorers have reconstructed 27 of the museum's exhibits. In May 2026, a Russian drone damaged the protective shelter covering the building.