Memorial events are being held in Ukraine and abroad to honor the victims of the Russian airstrike on the Mariupol Drama Theater that occurred in March 2022. These events have united theater communities and concerned citizens in solidarity with the victims of the tragedy.
This is reported by Finway
Memorial Events in Ukrainian Cities
According to Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, 89 theaters across Ukraine participated in the nationwide event, at both national and regional levels. In Kyiv, near the National Palace of Arts “Ukraine,” participants arranged candles to spell out the word “CHILDREN” and lit lamps in memory of the deceased. A similar event took place near the Opera Theater in Lviv, organized by the public organization “I Am Mariupol.”
Global Support and the Scale of the Tragedy
Memorial events also occurred outside of Ukraine. In Prague, the word “Дети” was spelled out with candles on the roof of the National Theater. In Italy, the Ukrainian diaspora held an event in front of the “La Scala” theater in Milan.
On March 16, 2022, Russian military forces carried out an airstrike on the Mariupol Drama Theater, where hundreds of civilians were present at the time. Estimates suggest that between 300 and 600 people died as a result of the attack.
“We remember. And we will definitely return to Ukrainian Mariupol,” said Filashkin.
Human rights organizations classify the bombing of the theater as a clear war crime. According to official data confirmed by the city authorities, at least 20,000 people have died in the destroyed and occupied Mariupol by Russia.