The Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater in Russian-occupied Mariupol has officially reopened with a gala concert, more than three years after its destruction by a Russian airstrike that killed approximately 600 civilians. The March 2022 bombing occurred while hundreds of residents sought shelter within the building, which had been visibly marked with the word “children” to alert aircraft.
Russian state media showcased the renovated theater’s marble pillars and staircases, with performers in traditional kokoshnik headdresses celebrating the reconstruction. Moscow-installed authorities, including Denis Pushilin of the Donetsk region and St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov, attended the opening ceremony. Workers from St. Petersburg, which became Mariupol’s twin city after Russia’s complete capture in May 2022, participated in the rebuilding effort.
This reopening occurs amidst ongoing controversy regarding the theater’s destruction. Moscow previously claimed Ukrainian forces demolished the building, but an Associated Press investigation confirmed Russian responsibility for the attack that killed nearly twice the initial government estimates. The city’s Ukrainian council, now operating from exile, condemned the reconstruction as “singing and dancing on bones” and accused Russia of using cultural restoration to conceal war crimes and advance Russification policies.
The Donetsk region remains a critical battleground in the ongoing conflict, with its status representing a major obstacle in peace negotiations. Russia’s illegal annexation of the region in 2022 continues to be internationally contested as fighting persists across the territory.