Mariupol celebrates, but the shadows of the bombing remain!

Mariupol celebrates, but the shadows of the bombing remain!

On Sunday, the Mariupol Drama Theater celebrated its reopening, a symbol of the Russian siege of the city. The extensive renovation work, which took three years, was celebrated with a gala attended by artists from Mariupol and St. Petersburg. The event was broadcast nationally on Russian television, underlining the propaganda significance of the event. Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russian administration of the Donetsk region, announced the opening via Telegram. The modern equipment installed in the theater and renovated features such as a marble staircase and a heavy crystal chandelier were important parts of the celebrations. The chandelier in particular weighs an impressive 2.5 tons.

The theater was originally built in 1960 and until March 2022 was used as a refuge for civilians seeking shelter during the siege. Up to 600 civilians are estimated to have been killed in a Russian airstrike on the building when over 1,000 people were inside. This is considered a possible war crime because the civilians had clearly written "children" in large letters on the floor of the theater to signal their presence.

A sign of a return to normality

The renovations are part of a broader strategy to portray Mariupol as a symbol of prosperity in Russian-controlled areas. During a nearly three-month siege, about 90 percent of buildings in Mariupol were destroyed or damaged, and the death toll estimated by Human Rights Watch is about 8,000. The exile city administration, on the other hand, speaks of up to 22,000 deaths. The official Russian view of the events has portrayed the attacks on the city as necessary military measures, but they have been heavily criticized internationally.

Russia is touting the reopening of the theater as progress toward normality in Mariupol, which many reject as cynical propaganda. The governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Beglov, was one of the approximately 500 guests at the gala and described the reconstruction of the theater as a “matter of honor.” This illustrates how closely Russian cultural policy is linked to military aggression.

Cultural transformation and Russian propaganda

The newly opened theater plans performances of “Russian and Soviet classics,” part of a Russification strategy aimed at replacing Ukrainian cultural consciousness. Russian construction companies have reportedly been awarded reconstruction contracts, but there are concerns about poor workmanship and delays. Narratives propagated at the front, such as the idea of ​​cultural reconstruction, stand in stark contrast to the destruction and human suffering caused by the siege and war.

With the reopening of the Mariupol Theater, the Kremlin is attempting to create a positive narrative about a return to normality in Mariupol while the reality of destruction remains present. Exiled Ukrainian authorities sharply criticize these depictions and emphasize that the reopening is seen as part of cynical propaganda that ignores the immense suffering of the civilian population.