In the DPR, theaters and museums that came under shelling were counted

“The absence of productions is dangerous no less than a fragment that broke through the window”

The Ministry of Culture of the Donetsk People’s Republic has named the number of cultural objects in Donbass that have come under attack since February 17 this year. It was this date, and not the beginning of the special operation (February 24), that became a kind of starting point for Donetsk. The figure voiced by the department is frightening in itself, even without assessing the damage inflicted in material terms.

60 theaters, museums, palaces of culture, libraries and monuments suffered during this time. Moreover, the architectural gems of the mining capital were damaged – the buildings of the Donetsk Music and Drama Theater, the Donetsk Philharmonic named after Sergei Prokofiev, the Donbass Opera, the local history and art museum, where, as MK previously wrote, original paintings by Aivazovsky and Shishkin are stored.

The last victim of enemy artillery was the open-air park of forged figures – an empty space with metal sculptures.

Why is this happening? What is the meaning of attacks on culture? This question was answered by the general director of the Donetsk Music and Drama Theater Natalia Volkova.

– This is not a war on culture, but chaotic shelling of the peaceful quarters of Donetsk, that is, terror of the civilian population.

Natalia Markovna told what happened to the theater on September 2 during the shelling of the place where the farewell to Olga Kachura (Korsa) took place.

– Then a shell exploded near the drama theater. The façade of the building, glazing, service entrances and some offices were damaged by fragments of ammunition. Fortunately, none of the employees were hurt.

– Who dealt with the liquidation of the consequences of this attack?

– On our own, the next day we were able to fill the windows with boards, remove fragments of broken glass. Fortunately, everything was not as tragic as it could be. For safety reasons, we even lowered our chandeliers to the floor inside the theater and made scaffolding and boards to protect them.

As a result, the actors of the theater named after People’s Artist of Ukraine Mark Brovun have not taken the stage since February 18. And when the performances will resume, it is impossible to say in the current conditions. And this is an even more cruel blow to culture than a fragment stuck in plaster or breaking through a stained-glass window.