“I can find no other word than cynicism.” The Russians are turning the site of a massacre into a symbol of new power
An unexploded bomb in front of a destroyed building in Mariupol, Ukraine, Photo: STRINGER / AFP / Profimedia
The Dramatic Theater in Mariupol, attacked by the Russians in 2022, while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in the basement, is to reopen its doors. The Russian authorities who occupied the Donetsk region, where the theater is located, are presenting the reconstruction as a sign of revival, while former actors of the theater denounced the reopening as “a dance on corpses”, writes The Guardian.
The Dramatic Theater in Mariupol, one of the symbols of the atrocities committed by the Russians during the almost 4 years of war, is to reopen by the end of the month, with a performance of the Russian fairy tale “The Scarlet Flower”.
The building has been rebuilt almost from scratch in the last two years. “The theater is reborn with Mariupol. Russian and Soviet classics are back on stage,” the institution said in a statement about its future plans.
“There should be a memorial to this place”
Evgheni Sosnovski, a photographer from Mariupol who worked for a long time at the theater but later moved to Kiev after the Russians occupied the region, said: “I can find no other word than cynicism. There should be a memorial on this place to the memory of Mariupol residents who died during the Russian capture of the city, not an entertainment space.”
The attack on the theater remains one of the most famous episodes of the war in Ukraine, the building being hit despite the fact that the word “CHILDREN” had been written in large letters in the square in front. At least ten people have been declared dead, but the actual number may be much higher.
“I was wondering why I have to relive all those moments”
Russia has denied the attack on the theater, claiming the destruction was caused by an explosion inside the building. Several independent investigations indicated that Russian aerial bombs were responsible. Amnesty International concluded that the tragedy was “probably caused by Russian forces deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians” and stated that the attack should be investigated as a war crime. “To do entertainment, songs and dances on top of all those bones? I think the souls of the people who died there will not let them play properly,” said Vira Lebedynska, a former theater actress.
The artist is now, together with a small group of former actors from Mariupol, in the city of Uzhhorod, in western Ukraine. They made a show, “Mariupol Drama”, based on the events of February and March at the theater in Mariupol, which has been on tour throughout Europe for the past year.
“At first it was very difficult to act in this show and I wondered why I had to relive all those moments, but I continued and realized that it was my mission to tell the world what happened there in the theater,” said Lebedynska.
However, many other actors remained in Mariupol and collaborate with the new theater. “For them, the main thing is to play on stage, and the rest does not matter. 'We have nothing to do with politics' is their principle. They do not care where they are, in Russia or in Ukraine,” said Sosnovski.
The new director, appointed by the Russians, supports the version of the occupiers
The Russian authorities have appointed Igor Solonin, former deputy director of the Donetsk Circus, to head the theater. In an interview earlier this year with a Russian journalist, Solonin repeated claims that the building had been blown up from the inside. “It was an internal explosion. It was a bomb or an explosive device inside the building, or maybe careless handling of ammunition,” he said. Several people who were in the theater at the time of the explosion told The Guardian that there were no soldiers or military equipment there.
Russia has initiated an extensive reconstruction program in Mariupol after the invasion reduced much of the city to ruins. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month signed a decree allowing officials in occupied areas of Ukraine to confiscate homes left empty after owners fled or were killed during the Russian invasion.
According to the document, homes that are considered abandoned will be recognized as property of the regional authorities. Compensations are possible only for those who obtain Russian citizenship. There are now more than 12,000 apartments listed as ownerless, according to public documents from the authorities installed by Russia in Mariupol.
