Rivne officials demand emergency closure of Tarakaniv Fort after severe structural collapse

Rivne officials demand the Ministry of Defense close Tarakaniv Fort following a barracks collapse. Request sent for State Landmark Registry status.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 20, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Interfax-Ukraine

Critical Structural Failure at Historic Outpost

The Rivne Regional Military Administration has officially moved to halt public access to Tarakaniv Fort following the significant collapse of a section within its Central Barracks. In an urgent appeal issued on April 15, 2026, regional authorities alerted the Ministry of Defense and the Housing and Maintenance Department of the Armed Forces regarding the deteriorating safety conditions at the site. The collapse has rendered the landmark, located in the Dubno district, an immediate hazard to the public, prompting calls for a total restriction of visitors until comprehensive emergency response works can be completed.

Legal Maneuvers for Cultural Preservation

In addition to safety concerns, regional officials are pushing for a formal shift in the fort's legal status to ensure its long-term survival. The Rivne administration has formally requested that the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications include Tarakaniv Fort in the State Register of Immovable Landmarks of Ukraine as an architectural monument of local significance. Proponents of the listing argue that such a designation is necessary to establish a formal conservation regime and unlock the specialized government oversight required to manage the unique 19th-century fortification complex.

Complex Ownership and Land Partitioning

The preservation effort is complicated by a long-standing jurisdictional divide, as the fort remains on the balance sheet of the Ministry of Defense as part of military camp No. 13. While the Regional State Administration has previously sought to transfer the entire 63.9-hectare territory to local community ownership, the military has proposed a partition. Under the current proposal, only a 5.41-hectare plot containing the core historical structures would be transferred to communal control, while the remaining 58.49 hectares would remain reserved for ongoing military requirements.