Posted on by Jemma Jarman
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A fire has destroyed almost the entire art collection of Abkhazia, the breakaway region of Georgia that is controlled by Russia.
More than 4,000 paintings at the National Art Gallery in the capital Sukhumi were lost in the blaze, including over 300 artworks by Alexander Shervashidze-Chachba.
According to the Minister of Culture, Dinara Smiri, only about 150 exhibits were saved from the National Art Gallery collections. Investigators say an electrical short circuit may have started the fire.
Blue Shield and ICOM Georgia National Committees are disseminating information about the incident and appealing for assistance from International Blue Shield, International ICOM and UNESCO.
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