Ukrainian Icon presented to Lavrov in Bosnia estimated at EUR 12.5 mln January 25, 2021 12:00 PM by Y.Z
A 300-year-old Ukrainian icon, originally from the occupied city of Luhansk, which has earlier been handed as a gift to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is estimated at EUR 12.5 million.
The icon was kept in the Banke Srpske deposit until its
bankruptcy, and later was deposited with the Lithuanian-owned UKIO bank. It is not known when and how the icon got into the Bosnian bank, as reported by Balkan Observer for Ukraine on Facebook with reference to the Bosnian BN TV channel, Unian writes.
The Russian Foreign Ministry will return the icon, which was gifted to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The icon will be returned to clarify its history through Interpol, the press service of the ministry told TASS.
On December 14, Chairman of the Presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina Milorad Dodik presented the icon to Sergei Lavrov during his visit to Sarajevo.
The photo of the icon published by the SRNA agency shows that there is a stamp with an imprint on the reverse side: URSR. People s Committee of Education. Ukrnauka. Odessa Regional Commission.
On December 17, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bissera Turkovic, announced that the Ukrainian embassy had sent a note to BiH demanding that the icon be returned to Kiev. Ukraine also demanded an explanation of how the icon found itself on the territory of the republic.
European Pravda
The Ukrainian Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina has demanded explanations from Sarajevo after Russia s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov during his visit received a 300-year-old Ukrainian icon, originally from Luhansk, as a present from local authorities.
That s according to Europeiska Pravda, referring to the Klix.ba news site.
It is alleged that one of the members of Bosnia and Herzegovina s Presidium, head of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik, presented the icon to Lavrov on December 14 while Russia s foreign minister was on a working visit.
The local news site says the embassy requested information on the origin of the 300-year-old icon, which was allegedly originally discovered in Luhansk.
14:42 17.12.2020
Ukrainian Embassy sends note to Bosnia-Herzegovina MFA because of its present of 300-year-old Ukrainian icon from Luhansk to Russian MFA head – media 1 min read
The Ukrainian Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina has sent a note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina asking for detailed information about why the 300-year-old Ukrainian icon was presented to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Radio Liberty said. According to local media s statements, the Ukrainian Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina sent the note to the government in Sarajevo, demanding to immediately and unequivocally find out how the gilded icon from Luhansk ended up in the country, Radio Liberty said on its website on Thursday.