In Occupied Mariupol, a Drama Theater Destroyed by a Russian Airstrike in the Spring of 2022 Has Reopened

In Mariupol, seized by Russian forces, the drama theater reopened on December 28—the building destroyed in the spring of 2022 during the assault on the city. The ceremony was attended by Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed DPR, St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov, Russian presidential envoy Igor Rudenya, and People’s Artist of Russia Vladimir Mashkov. According to TASS, the reconstruction preserved the theater’s historic facade, while the interior and remaining elements were brought into line with modern standards.

Russian forces carried out an airstrike on the Mariupol Drama Theater on March 16, 2022. At the time of the attack, around a thousand civilians were inside, using the building as a shelter. The word “Children” was written in large letters in front of the entrance. Russian authorities denied their forces’ involvement in the bombing, shifting responsibility to Ukraine’s armed forces, but independent investigations by journalists and human rights organizations reached the opposite conclusion.

The exact number of those killed in the strike has still not been established. Ukrainian authorities initially reported around 300 victims, while the Associated Press estimated the death toll at 600. In a later investigation, Amnesty International confirmed the deaths of 12 people, stressing that the true number of victims was likely significantly higher. Officials from the DPR reported the discovery of 14 bodies.