On March 16, Lviv joined communities across Ukraine and around the World in commemorating the fourth anniversary of the airstrike on the Mariupol Drama Theatre — one of the most painful symbols of Russia’s war against civilians.
The memorial action “ДЕ ТИ?” brought together Mariupol residents now living in Lviv, local community members, representatives of regional authorities, and veterans. Together, they gathered to honour the memory of those killed and to speak once again about the truth of Mariupol. Among those addressing the gathering was Alevtyna Shvetsova, a Mariupol resident and coordinator of commemorative actions across Ukraine. She lived near the drama theatre and saw the building after the airstrike, documenting the aftermath through photographs. In her remarks, she spoke about the importance of testimony and remembrance as ways to resist silence, distortion, and attempts to erase the truth of the crime. Her work today helps unite people around a shared memory and keeps Mariupol’s voice alive in cities across Ukraine.
Valentyna Boyko, head of the support centre for displaced persons “YaMariupol. Lviv,” emphasized that even in forced dispersal, Mariupol residents remain a community. She spoke about how the centre has long grown beyond humanitarian aid alone, becoming a place where people find support, mutual understanding, and a sense of home. It is, as she described, about people holding on to one another — and surviving because they do.
Representatives of the Lviv Regional Council and the Lviv Regional Military Administration noted that the Lviv region has become a home for thousands of Mariupol residents. Veteran Volodymyr Rudkovskyi reminded those present that resistance does not exist only on the front line. It also lives in memory, in unity, and in society’s determination not to allow the truth to be erased. His words were a reminder of the cost of this war and of each person’s responsibility to remember.
The action in Lviv was part of a broader national initiative. This year, the “City of Mary” team coordinated “ДЕ ТИ” memorial actions in more than 20 cities across Ukraine, made possible through the coming together of Mariupol communities, local initiatives, and partners in different regions. Together, they stepped forward to honour the victims and remind the public that the tragedy of Mariupol remains an open wound.
For the ДЕ ТИ Project, this work of remembrance is deeply connected to our mission. Memory is not only about the past — it is a way of defending truth in the present and building awareness for the future.
This act of remembrance will continue in Lviv on March 25, where the ДЕ ТИ Project is among the organizers of a major commemorative concert dedicated to the victims lost in the Mariupol Drama Theatre tragedy. Through music, public memory, and shared witness, the concert will honour those who were killed and reaffirm the need to keep telling their story.
Photos © DE TY Project, 2026
