Cultural heritage holds significant value to communities and is an important vehicle for peace but is often the deliberate target of destruction during war. ‘It is important not only to focus in the protection of objects, but also to promote a community’s ownership of their cultural heritage’ (Jaramillo Contreras in Beyond the protection of material cultural heritage in times of conflict. ICCROM, Rome, pp. 53–60, 2012). Drawing on previous research, this article investigates how local communities can be engaged and empowered to protect their tangible and intangible cultural heritage during war. By exploring literature and investigating the research question in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the article aims to develop recommendations for communities’ engagement in safeguarding their cultural heritage during war, which would inform future frameworks for heritage protection during and after conflict. The cultural heritage of Ukraine has been, and continues to be, at risk due to the ongoing war that began on 24 February 2022. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has reported that 485 culturally significant sites have been damaged in Ukraine since the war began, as verified on the UNESCO website on the 16th of April 2025. The case of Ukraine will be analysed to understand the ways in which the communities of Ukraine have been involved in safeguarding their cultural heritage during the ongoing war. The success of these methods will be analysed, arguing for the importance of the communities’ involvement whilst identifying the role they can take in such circumstances. The study will develop a literature analysis to understand the role of communities in the safeguarding of cultural heritage during disasters, particularly war. This analysis will emphasise the value of cultural heritage as a reflection of collective memory and the vital role communities play in protecting it during war. The chosen case study of the ongoing war in Ukraine will then be explored in detail, using the analysis of reports, policies, social networking services, documentaries, news and academic publications. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted as part of this study to gain primary data from individuals leading the community group Renovation Map and non-governmental organisation, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). Responses to an online survey, using the same pre-determined questions from Saving Ukrainian cultural heritage online (SUCHO), and Alliance for the restoration of cultural heritage (ARCH) have been included to inform this study. This research argues for the success and value of community-led initiatives and the importance of collaboration, in efforts to safeguard cultural heritage during war.