The Mariupol Drama Theatre has reopened after a three-year reconstruction, marked by a gala featuring performers from Mariupol and Saint Petersburg and the installation of a 2.5-tonne crystal chandelier. The reopening was presented by Russian authorities as part of wider rebuilding efforts in territory they control. Independent groups report heavy civilian losses and widespread destruction from the nearly three-month 2022 siege — Amnesty International said at least 12 people were killed in the theatre bombing — while the UN estimates about 90% of buildings were damaged or destroyed.
Mariupol Drama Theatre Reopens After Three-Year Reconstruction, Drawing Praise and Scrutiny
The Mariupol Drama Theatre underwent a major three year reconstruction before its reopening Sunday (Olga MALTSEVA)(Olga MALTSEVA/AFP/AFP)
The Mariupol Drama Theatre — one of the most widely shared images of the 2022 siege of Mariupol — has reopened after an extensive three-year reconstruction, Russian officials announced.
A special ceremony on Sunday featured a gala performance by artists from Mariupol and Saint Petersburg. Russian television footage highlighted the theatre’s restored marble staircase and sculpted façade, and a newly installed 2.5-tonne crystal chandelier suspended above the auditorium.
What Happened During the Siege
Russian forces entered Mariupol in the early months of the 2022 offensive and subjected the city to an almost three-month siege. That blockade left the city devastated: Human Rights Watch estimates the death toll at about 8,000, while the city’s exiled Ukrainian municipal council has cited a figure of about 22,000. Amnesty International reported that at least 12 people were killed when the theatre was bombed during the assault.
The United Nations concluded that roughly 90% of buildings in Mariupol were destroyed or damaged, and an estimated 300,000 of the city’s pre-conflict population of about 540,000 fled.
Reconstruction And Reactions
Denis Pushilin, the pro-Russian leader of the Donetsk region that includes Mariupol, said on Telegram that the "Mariupol Drama Theatre has reopened its doors to spectators" after three years of rebuilding and that the venue’s "historic image" had been restored alongside "modern equipment of the highest level." The restoration was promoted by Russian officials as part of broader efforts to showcase reconstruction in territory Moscow controls.
"This is a question of honour," said Saint Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov, who attended the reopening among an audience reported at about 500. He said his city provided architects and construction crews to support the project.
In September 2022 Russia declared the annexation of four Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia — a move not recognised by Ukraine and much of the international community and which does not reflect full Russian control over all territory in those regions.
Reporting note: Accounts of the theatre’s reopening and the gala come primarily from Russian state media and regional officials. Casualty and damage figures cited here are those reported by independent organisations and the exiled municipal council.
Help us improve.
