Technology Protects
The project's outcomes confirm the critical role of modern technology in safeguarding Ukraine’s national heritage threatened by war. In addition to ongoing operations in the Odesa region, a new phase of the project has been successfully launched, focusing on direct support for the Museum of the Ukrainian Navy.
During the second quarter of 2026, the unit’s technical equipment, including vacuum machines, luminometers, and pH meters, proved fully effective in practice. Furthermore, the unit's technological capabilities were expanded with a disinfection chamber, which ensures the essential decontamination of historical materials prior to their restoration.
Q2 2026 Results
During this period, Ark I's technology was used to process a total of 324 documents, representing an overall volume of 3,136 pages and 7 large‑format tables. Work focused on two main collections:
Between April and June 2026, Ark I processed a total of 324 documents, comprising 3,136 pages and seven large‑format tables. The efforts concentrated on two primary collections:
Odesa National Scientific Library: 320 volumes of large‑format 19th‑century periodicals totaling 1,814 pages were processed, including titles such as Yekaterinoslavskiye Gubernskiye Vedomosti and Nikolayevsky Vestnik. The documents underwent mechanical cleaning, paper substrate reinforcement, physical stabilization, and repair of damaged fragments.
Museum of the Ukrainian Navy: The Ark I team treated four unique sources from the 18th and 19th centuries, totaling 1,322 pages and seven tables, representing authentic records of major geographical discoveries and naval development.
To date, the project has successfully treated over 2,276 documents and stabilized more than 41,149 pages.
Outlook for the Second Half of 2026
Work on rescuing and restoring documents from the collections of the Odesa National Scientific Library and the Museum of the Ukrainian Navy will continue through the second half of 2026. Simultaneously, the Ark I team will focus on expanding cooperation with other institutions to identify further opportunities for the effective field deployment of Ark I.
