Oleksandr Rubets
Oleksandr was born in Dachne, Donetsk Oblast. He's a professional athlete with the title of International Master of Sports of Ukraine in powerlifting. He's also a European and Ukrainian champion and holds a world record. Since 2011, he has lived near Mariupol, focusing on his sports career.
When Russia’s war against Ukraine escalated in February 2022, Oleksandr was in Manhush with his wife and children. On the morning of March 16, 2022, Oleksandr ventured into Mariupol to rescue his friend Maksym from the city. He searched various shelters, including the Drama Theatre, hoping to find him there. Unable to locate his friend, Oleksandr decided to assist two families with children seeking refuge in the theater building. An air strike occurred while he was waiting for them in the corridor. Oleksandr and the people who wanted to evacuate with him survived and were able to leave the city immediately after the bombing.
The video above is a condensed summary of a three-hour interview with Oleksandr conducted using a technique called situated testimony. Oleksandr talks about the Drama Theater and the city's siege as an accidental observer, but at the same time, his gaze is directed from inside the building at the moment of tragedy. He describes the organization of the bomb shelter less than an hour before the attack and shares videos documenting the destruction of Mariupol on March 16 and the theater itself in the first minutes after the bombing.
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.
