21 July 2025
(PHOTO: Kherson Regional State Administration)
Russian troops shelled a civilian facility in Kherson again, this time hitting a theater. There were no injuries, but the building was damaged.
This was reported by the general director and artistic director of the theater , Oleksandr Kniga.
In Kherson, on July 21, Russian soldiers shelled the building of the Kherson Regional Academic Music and Drama Theater named after Mykola Kulish.
The shell hit the theater around 14:10. The impact damaged the facade of the theater, one of the columns, the front door and three windows in the theater-cafe. There were no civilian casualties.
Our long-suffering theater. Back in 1943, the Nazis blew up the historic building of the theater, and now modern racists are trying to destroy it again," Book wrote.
He added that the shelling is yet another indication of how the Russian army is "realizing its so-called traditional values."
In March 2024, as a result of shelling, the Mykola Kulish Kherson Regional Theater was also damaged by a blast wave. The building was also damaged during attacks in February 2024 and November 2023.
Mykolaiv and Kherson regions have become one of the most vulnerable in the country, with the cultural infrastructure there severely damaged by shelling. In total, more than two thousand cultural facilities were damaged in Ukraine. In Mykolaiv region, 44.2% of such facilities were damaged, in Kherson region - 43%, and in Odesa region - 10%.
According to Rostyslav Karandieiev, acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy, the restoration of cultural monuments, particularly in Odesa, is postponed until the war ends due to the constant threat of new attacks. According to him, concepts and action plans have already been developed, funds have been allocated, and projects are being developed. Some of the objects that have suffered minor damage, such as broken windows or damaged roofs, can be restored, while some require immediate conservation and emergency work.
Анна Бальчінос
The occupiers are deploying boat units to the sea for operations off the coast of the Kherson region