Digital Access and Decolonisation: The Case of Cultural Heritage Held in Russian Museums

This study explores the opportunities and challenges of decolonisation through digital access to cultural heritage in the context of Russian museums following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Utilising a socio-legal analysis of legislation, cultural policies, museum access practices, and digital decolonial projects, the research investigates how digital access can assist in reclaiming narratives and self-representation while, conversely, enabling the spread of state-driven ideological narratives through Russian-controlled cultural artefacts. The findings highlight that narrative control in digital spaces is deeply linked to property rights – both physical and intellectual. Moreover, the study underscores that while access free from copyright restrictions (open access) can foster the decolonisation of cultural heritage discourses, genuine decolonisation necessitates sovereignty over both material infrastructures, artefacts and resources, as well as data.