ISSN 2786-4561 (printed)
ISSN 2786-457X (online)

Vol.7.1 (2026). pp. 109-116

The impact of the russian-ukrainian war on the image of tourist regions in eastern and southern Ukraine

Cherchenko O.

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5816-3608

Demianenko S.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9822-1981
Taras Shevchenko National University, Kyiv, Ukraine
https://doi.org/10.17721/2786-4561.2026.7.1-12/14

Annotation. The russian-Ukrainian war has significantly transformed the tourism landscape of the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, causing substantial material damage and altering the informational image of these territories. Regions that previously had developed tourism infrastructure and cultural brands have become zones of armed conflict, destruction, and humanitarian challenges. This study analyzes the scale of destruction of cultural, natural, and tourism heritage, the media transformation of regional images, and the role of national and international institutions in preserving tourism potential. The findings indicate that, despite the damages, these regions retain potential for post-war recovery and the development of memorial, cultural, and nature-based tourism, provided there is security, strategic planning, and international support.

Keywords: tourist image, war, recovery, cultural heritage, tourism potential
References:
Human Rights Watch. (2022, March 16). Ukraine: Mariupol theatre hit in Russian attack. Human Rights Watch. URL: https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/03/16/ukraine-mariupol-theater-hit-russian-attack-sheltered-hundreds (In English)
ICCROM. (2023). Damage and Risk Assessment Report — First Aid and Resilience (FAR) Programme in Ukraine: Damage & risk assessment at pilot sites; mobile app results. ICCROM.URL: https://www.iccrom.org/sites/default/files/publications/2023-02/iccrom_far_2023_damage_and_risk_assessment_report_ukraine.pdf (In English)
Kyiv School of Economics (KSE). (2024). Damages Report (Updated — November 2024). KSE. URL:https://kse.ua/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/KSE_Damages_Report-November-2024---ENG.pdf (In English)
Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine. (2025, August 29). Due to Russian aggression, 1,553 cultural heritage sites and 2,388 cultural infrastructure facilities have been damaged in Ukraine. URL: https://mcsc.gov.ua/en/news/due-to-russian-aggression-1553-cultural-heritage-sites-and-2388-cultural-infrastructure-facilities-have-been-damaged-in-ukraine/ (In English)
United Nations. (2023). Post-Disaster Needs Assessment: Kakhovka Dam disaster, Ukraine. UN & Government of Ukraine. URL: https://ukraine.un.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/PDNA%20Final%20and%20Cleared%20-%2016Oct.pdf (In English)
UNESCO. (2023, November 20). Kakhovka Dam destruction: US$485 million needed for the recovery of culture, environment and education. UNESCO. URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/kakhovka-dam-destruction-us-485-million-needed-recovery-culture-environment-and-education-unesco (In English)
UNESCO. (2025, September 22). Damaged cultural sites in Ukraine verified by UNESCO. UNESCO. URL: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/damaged-cultural-sites-ukraine-verified-unesco (In English)
World Monuments Fund. (n.d.). Ukraine Heritage Response Fund. WMF. URL: https://www.wmf.org/programs/ukraine-heritage-response-fund (In English)
World Monuments Fund. (2024, February 28). WMF announces additional support for Ukraine. WMF. URL: https://www.wmf.org/press-releases/anniversary-russian-invasion-world-monuments-fund-announces-additional-1-million (In English)

Declaration of the Conflict of Interest