Overview
- The rebuilt venue opened on December 28 with guests including St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov, presidential envoy Igor Rudenya, and DPR head Denis Pushilin.
- Reconstruction preserved the historic facade and delivered a 495-seat auditorium with new ventilation, lighting and sound, a turntable stage, and 84 lifting mechanisms.
- Authorities said all load-bearing structures were replaced and accessibility upgrades added, including an elevator and improved public space around the building.
- More than 300 builders, including teams from twin city St. Petersburg, worked on the project within a broader effort that has restored about 50 sites in Mariupol since 2022.
- At the ceremony, officials framed the opening as a key step in regional revival and reiterated the Russian Defense Ministry’s claim that Azov fighters blew up the theatre on March 16, 2022.