A historic theater in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol has reopened over three years after it was severely damaged during a Russian airstrike that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians seeking refuge inside. The Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater, which was targeted on March 16, 2022, was celebrated with a gala concert on its newly restored main stage on Sunday night, according to reports from Russian state media.
The airstrike occurred as Russian forces besieged Mariupol in the initial weeks following their invasion of Ukraine. An investigation by the Associated Press revealed that the attack claimed the lives of approximately 600 people, nearly double the initial estimates provided by the Ukrainian government. At the time, many civilians had taken shelter in the theater, and the word "children" had been painted in large letters on the street outside, visible to aerial reconnaissance.
Despite claims from Moscow that Ukrainian forces had destroyed the theater, the AP investigation contradicted this assertion. Following the airstrike, Russian forces captured Mariupol's city center and demolished the ruins, with remains interred in mass graves around the city.
The reopening of the theater was met with criticism from Mariupol's Ukrainian city council, which had evacuated to territory still under Ukrainian control. They characterized the event as "singing and dancing on bones," accusing the Moscow-installed authorities of attempting to mask a war crime while pushing forward a policy of Russification for the city. They noted that the theater's programming predominantly features works by Russian authors and playwrights.
A notable presence at the theater’s opening included Denis Pushilin, the Russian-installed head of the partially occupied Donetsk region, and St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov. Reconstructions of the theater were reportedly aided by workers from St. Petersburg, which was twinned with Mariupol after Russian forces fully took control of the city in May 2022.
The Donetsk region, where Mariupol is located, has continuously been a critical battleground amid the ongoing conflict. Russia illegally annexed the region in 2022, although it does not exert control over all areas. The status of this region remains one of the pivotal issues in the ongoing negotiations to bring an end to the war.
In summary, the reopening of a major cultural site in Mariupol highlights the stark contrast between the narratives pushed by Russian authorities and the reality of war-torn Ukraine. As the city continues to rebuild under Russian control, the implications for local identity and cultural expression remain deeply contentious.
