Russians damage modernist architectural landmark in Zaporizhzhia – photos

On 20 June, Russian forces carried out an airstrike on the city of Zaporizhzhia. One of the city's best-known architectural landmarks, the City Palace of Children and Youth Creativity, sustained damage.

Source: Pershyi Zaporizkyi, a local media outlet

Details: Pershyi Zaporizkyi reported that almost all the windows in the building were blown out, the façade was damaged and classrooms, equipment and interior elements were wrecked. Repairs to the façade and one wing of the building had recently been completed. The reconstruction of the palace had lasted eight years.

Acting director Oleh Pelieiev told MTM, a local media outlet, that the strike destroyed part of what had been achieved over years of repairs and renovation, including expensive equipment.

The palace, which opened in 1986, is located in Vitalii Satskyi Metallurgists Park. It is one of Zaporizhzhia's largest extracurricular education centres, home to numerous clubs, studios and creative groups. The building housed a cinema and concert hall, a puppet theatre venue and a planetarium with an observatory.

The building is an example of local modernism and has architectural value. Myh, another local media outlet, reported that in 2023, the advisory council of Zaporizhzhia Oblast State Administration had supported adding the palace to the region's list of cultural heritage sites.

Ukrainian artist and designer Leonid Nikitin worked on the interior design. He designed the lobby and several rooms. A decorative triptych relief, a thematic bas-relief, a theatre tapestry and other elements were also made for the building. The Russian strike partially destroyed the triptych relief.

Background: Five people were killed and 13 were injured in the Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on the evening of 20 June. Early reports indicated that Russian forces had attacked the oblast centre with nine guided aerial bombs.

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