Mariia Rodionova
Mariia was born in Mariupol, where she lived her entire life. She worked as a social pedagogue at the Mariupol City Lyceum and volunteered with the Red Cross. She had two dogs and a cat.
On 5 March 2022, as the war escalated and Mariupol's humanitarian situation worsened, Mariia, her friend, her friend's son, and their seven pets sought refuge in the theater. Due to Mariia's dogs reacting anxiously to the shelling — barking and sometimes becoming aggressive — they had to keep moving within the theater. Initially, they settled on the first floor near the stairs, then moved behind the stage next to a makeshift first aid station, and finally to one of the audience boxes in the theater's left wing. A few days before the theater was attacked, Mariia left because of disagreements with a volunteer group. However, after her neighborhood was shelled, she was compelled to return.
On 16 March 2022, when the Russian army attacked the Drama Theatre, Mariia was outside near the main entrance of the theater. She remained unharmed: another resident of the theater covered her with himself. Mariia’s pets stayed in the theater and died. After the attack, Mariia managed to leave Mariupol.
This is a short version of a five-hour interview with Mariia, which was conducted using the methodology of situated testimonies. Mariia talks about the life of the theater, the conflicts between its residents, the destruction in the city on the eve of 16 March, and the attack on the Drama Theatre.
The interview was created with the financial support of European Union, International Renaissance Foundation
This publication/interview was compiled with the support of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation within the framework «European Renaissance of Ukraine» project. Its content is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation.
