Russians damage church and theatre in Kherson – photos
Over the last two days, 20-21 July, the Russian army has damaged the Mykola Kulish Theatre and the Greek Sophia Church in Kherson.
Source: Kherson Oblast Military Administration; Ihor Tsurkan, executive director of the Kherson League of Social Workers
Details: The Mykola Kulish Theatre, one of the largest theatres in Ukraine’s south, was hit by the Russians at around 14:10 on 21 July. A projectile damaged the building's facade. No civilians were injured or killed.
The theatre reported that a column, the main entrance and three windows in the theatre café were also damaged.
The Mykola Kulish Theatre in Kherson has run the Melpomene of Tavria theatre festival since 1999. The theatre has continued to operate in other cities in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion.
In March 2022, Oleksandr Knyha, director of the Kherson Music and Drama Theatre, was abducted by Russian soldiers. He was later released and left for Ukrainian-controlled territory. He was replaced by a man who had previously been a security guard.
On 20 July, Russian troops hit the territory of the Greek Sophia Church.
Photographs show a building located on the church's territory with smashed windows, burnt walls and a destroyed roof. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church reports that the hit caused wooden cells to catch fire and burn to the ground.
Built in 1780, the Greek Sophia Church is the oldest church in Kherson. It was originally made of wood and later rebuilt in stone. The church was dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God. The shrine is an architectural monument of national significance.
The church has an ebony iconostasis handmade by Greek craftsmen.
The Kherson Oblast Research Library notes that the church was built by the Greek community.
The library's official website says: "The Greeks living in Crimea petitioned Catherine II [the "Great" – ed.] to accept them as citizens at the end of the 18th century. They were permitted to move to what is now territory of Ukraine. Some Greeks who settled in Kherson took an active role in the construction and improvement of the city. The Merchant's Vorstadt (suburb), the city's central district, was also known as the Greek district, and Greek merchants lived there. The Greek Sophia Church was built and consecrated in 1780."
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