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Mariupol Theater to Reopen with a Performance of a Russian Fairy Tale

2025-12-25 21:38:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Mariupol Theater to Reopen with a Performance of a Russian Fairy Tale

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, destroyed by a Russian airstrike in 2022 while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, will open its doors again, with the Russian occupation authorities hailing the reconstruction as a sign of renewal, while former actors at the theatre denounced the reopening as "dancing on bones".

The Kremlin has made the reconstruction of Mariupol a hallmark of its rule in occupied Ukraine, but Moscow's oversight is accompanied by the arrests or deportations of critics, along with property seizures that have stripped thousands of Ukrainians of the apartments they legally owned.

The Mariupol Drama Theater will reopen by the end of the month with a performance of The Red Flower, a Russian fairy tale, after being rebuilt almost from scratch over the past two years. "The theater is being reborn together with Mariupol. Russian and Soviet classics are returning to the stage," the theater said in a statement about its plans for the future.

Evgeny Sosnovsky, a photographer from Mariupol who worked extensively with the theater but moved to Kiev after the Russian occupation, said: “I can’t think of any other word for this than cynicism. There should be a memorial on the site in memory of the residents of Mariupol who died during the Russian occupation of the city, not a place of entertainment.”

The attack on the theater remains one of the most infamous incidents of Russia's war in Ukraine, with the building being targeted despite the fact that the square in front of it had the words "CHILDREN" written in large letters. At least a dozen people have been confirmed dead, but the true number is likely much higher.

Russia has denied hitting the theater and claimed the damage was caused by an explosion inside the building, but several independent investigations have suggested Russian aerial bombs were responsible. Amnesty International concluded that the destruction was “likely caused by Russian forces deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians” and said the attack should be investigated as a war crime./ CNA, translated by The Guardian





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