Mariupol Drama Theatre Reopens: A Monument to Atrocity and Target of Anger
The Russians are planning to reopen the Mariupol Drama Theatre, which they destroyed with airstrikes in March 2022, by the end of this year. Hundreds of Ukrainians were killed in the attack on the theatre, which was sheltering civilians and had the word “Children” visibly written outside. Despite the tragedy, the occupiers are turning the site of a horrific war crime into a venue for Russian performances, having previously concealed evidence of the crime by clearing away rubble containing bodies. The reconstruction, which only left the front facade, is nearing completion, with the first performance scheduled for December.
John Q. Hosedrinker