The occupation authorities announced the opening of the drama theater in Mariupol, destroyed by a Russian airstrike in the spring of 2022. In the city, which has been under Russian occupation since 2022, after the so-called restoration, the opening ceremony of the theater building, destroyed by an airstrike by Russian troops on March 16, 2022, took place.
Artists from Mariupol and St. Petersburg, Russia, performed during the event. Russian TV channels showed footage of the gala event, the restored marble staircase and columns, as well as a crystal chandelier weighing 2.5 tons in the auditorium. About this reports AFP.
According to information, St. Petersburg played a significant role in the reconstruction. Governor Oleksandr Beglov, who was present at the opening, announced the dispatch of workers and architects to Mariupol and called the reconstruction project a “matter of honor.”
The city council also emphasized that the new building only externally repeats the destroyed theater. Representatives of the local authorities noted:
“The sculptures that were destroyed due to the negligence of the workers – are of poor quality. The destroyed drama theater had no plaster – its facade was decorated with white Crimean stone, which was delivered by sea. The occupation authorities simply painted the brick walls”.
They emphasized that “restoration” is a “cynical attempt” to hide the traces of a war crime and a component of the city“s “aggressive Russification policy”, since the theater’s repertoire now consists mainly of works by Russian writers and playwrights.
The drama theater, destroyed by a Russian airstrike in the spring of 2022, where hundreds of civilians were hiding during the siege of Mariupol, has become one of the symbols of Russian aggression against the city. The strike was carried out despite the large inscription “Children” near the building. According to Amnesty International, at least 12 deaths were verified, while human rights activists noted that the real number of victims could be much higher.
