Art gallery (Illustrative photo: freepik)

Poland is preparing a plan to protect the country's cultural heritage in the event of a Russian invasion. It is partly based on the experience of helping Ukraine, Polish Minister of Culture Hanna Wróblewska told in an interview with the Financial Times.

According to her, Polish museums can no longer operate within the framework of a "theoretical concept of security" amid the possibility of a Russian invasion. The project is part of a broader security program that includes strengthening border security and increasing the size of the Polish armed forces to 500,000 personnel.

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Retired Polish army colonel Maciej Matysiak is responsible for developing the details of the evacuation plan for the most valuable works of art. He currently heads the Department of Security and Crisis Management at the Polish Ministry of Culture .

"We needed someone who had worked in the military but also knew how to manage crises," explained Vrublevska .

The evacuation plan includes paintings, sculptures, rare books, and musical instruments from about 160 institutions in Poland. Negotiations are currently underway with the authorities of other countries that could accept these works of art. Private museums and galleries are expected to follow suit .

However, the difficulty is which works of art should be singled out for "priority evacuation".

"It's impossible to evacuate everything," Polish minister says.

It is noted that the evacuation plan is partly based on the experience gained in assisting Ukraine in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion. In addition to moving the artworks, the documentation required for their repatriation will also be updated.

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