Kathrine Frich
Across territories reshaped by conflict, reconstruction often becomes a stage for political messaging as much as physical repair.
Public spaces can be repurposed to signal control, commemorate narratives or reinforce authority.
Such decisions frequently spark tension among local communities, especially where trauma is still fresh.
Screens for the New Year
Officials working under the Russian occupation in Mariupol are preparing to unveil the restored drama theater.
The building was destroyed in a Russian airstrike on March 16, 2022, in which hundreds of civilians were killed.
As part of the reopening, workers have begun mounting LED panels on the front of the structure.
The plan was outlined in an interview with 24tv.ua by Petro Andryushenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation.
He said that “two large screens” are being placed on both sides of the theater.
According to his account, the intention is for crowds to gather in the square to mark the New Year while listening to Vladimir Putin’s seasonal address.
Andryushenko noted, however, that the message presented as live “will not be broadcast live, as the Russians claim, but on a recording.”
Permanent fixtures
He added that the screens will remain after the holiday celebrations and will later show commercial material originating from Russia.
Andryushenko said the choice of location has angered residents.
“Mariupol residents died there under the rubble… Now there will be Russian advertisements there. Even the pro-Russian part of Mariupol residents are outraged by this,” he told the outlet.
The interview also touched on the events of December 5, when the theater hosted a staged premiere.
Despite official claims of a full house, he said that “not a single ticket was bought,” and that students, including cadets from a naval school, were brought in so that authorities could photograph a packed audience.
The occupation administration is working quickly, with the official opening set for December 27.
The reconstruction was carried out by a company based in St. Petersburg, according to reporting cited by 24tv.ua.
Sources: 24tv.ua, LA.
