In 2022, during the fighting in Sievierodonetsk, the city's Palace of Culture was partially damaged. However, after the city's occupation, the Russian authorities immediately used the building to host various events and a "referendum." In March 2024, Marat Khusnullin, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, announced the completion of extensive repairs to the Palace and published photos of the work done.
Journalists from TRIBUN investigated the repair work carried out in the city's Palace of Culture, what changes occurred, whether it could be called "restoration," and compared the appearance of the building before and after the occupation.
The municipal Palace of Culture suffered substantial damage during the period of full-scale invasion.
On June 14, 2022, during the fighting for Sievierodonetsk, Russian military forces filmed video footage of the damaged municipal Palace of Culture. They then demonstratively destroyed the video cameras installed on the building, arguing that "cameras on administrative buildings could recently transmit video to Kyiv , but they will no longer do so."
Compared to other cultural landmarks in the city, the Palace and its surrounding area experienced minimal destruction. This can be observed by comparing satellite images from June 2022 and October 2020.
Functioning of the Palace During Occupation: Venue for Voting and Film Screenings
After the occupation, the Russian authorities cleared the area around the Palace. Instead of glass windows, plywood boards covered with film were installed on the building. As early as September 2022, the occupiers began using the municipal Palace of Culture for their own purposes.
For example, on September 24, 2022, the occupying authorities of Sievierodonetsk conducted the "second day of the referendum on the inclusion of the Luhansk People's Republic into the Russian Federation" within the premises of the Palace.
Additionally, movie showings were introduced for the local population. Starting from September 25, 2022, the Russian authorities announced that "every Saturday and Sunday, movie showings for children and adult are held in the main hall."
Indeed, movie screenings took place every week in the following months. For example, in November, locals watched films such as "What Men Talk About. Continuation," "Feedback," and "Honest Pioneer." In December, screenings included "Crimean Bridge. Made with Love" and "Urfin Jus and His Wooden Soldiers."
In December 2022, the occupying authorities decorated the Palace with New Year decorations. They also ceremoniously lit the city's New Year tree on the same occasion.
"Extensive" Renovation of the Palace of Culture and Its Results
In June 2023, a decision was made to "restore the House of Culture in Sievierodonetsk, where work has already been completed on glazing, and the upcoming tasks include repairing the facade and roof, engineering systems, and interior spaces, as well as improving the adjacent territory."
At the end of July, the occupying authorities began preparing for repair works. Initially, they removed the facade of the building, which had been slightly damaged by debris. The so-called "restoration" activities for the municipal Palace of Culture continued until March 2024.
Marat Khusnullin, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, announced the completion of the "extensive" renovation of the Palace on March 4, 2024, during his visit to the occupied territories of the Luhansk region. He noted that "in the three-story building covering an area of over 6,500 square meters, the historical facade, over 18 meters high, has been restored, and the roof, auditorium, rehearsal halls for artists and students, and even a recording studio have been repaired."
How has the Palace of Culture changed after the "renovation"? To track the changes, let's compare archival photos with the photos published by the Russian authorities.
For example, let's compare the overall appearance of the building in 2020 and 2024. By the way, the occupying authorities dismantled the memorial plaque of the First Builder of the city, Hero of Socialist Labor, and Honored Builder of Ukraine, Petro Pylypovych, from the facade of the Palace. He was the initiator of the construction of the municipal Palace of Culture.
Here's how the assembly hall and stage looked in 2017 and in 2024 after the "renovation."
Here is the lobby of the Palace in 2020 and its photo in 2024.
So, calling this a "large-scale" renovation is quite difficult, as significant changes did not occur. We can only see that the occupiers repaired the facade and also placed Russian symbolism outside and inside the building.
