Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's nice to see you back.
I'd also like to thank our witness today. This has been very interesting.
I'm interested in learning a bit more about those ties to the need to erase a people when we are looking at the perpetration of genocide, and how the erasure of cultural heritage is part of that. I recognize that right now in Ukraine it is extremely chaotic. There is a war going on, an illegal war, an illegal invasion, and people are dying. Of course, that must be our first priority and our first focus, but the work you're doing to ensure that the cultural identity of Ukraine is kept as safe as can be is so vitally important.
I have a couple of questions for you. First of all, we've heard Vladimir Putin speak about how Ukrainians are not even a people, that in fact Ukrainians are Russians. I think obviously that's indicative of his genocidal intentions, but can you talk a little bit about how that position influences the destruction of cultural and heritage sites by the Russian army? Can you also explain the link between genocidal intent and the destruction of cultural and heritage sites, please?