On January 26, the occupation-appointed 'mayor' of Sievierodonetsk, Mykola Morgunov, posted a message about the alleged restoration of Comprehensive Children and Youth Sports School No. 1.(CCYSS No. 1)
"Now it is a new, modern building where training will be much more comfortable," claims Morgunov.
And this is another lie of the occupiers because the damage to the school was minimal, and the "restoration" was presented as if they rebuilt it from the ground up.
We have analyzed the statements of the occupiers and also talked to the deputy director of educational and training activities of CCYSS No. 1
So, the Ukrainian Armed Forces were still in the city at that time, while they were being shelled by the Russian army. Moreover, russia cynically targeted Ukrainian symbolism, as the complex was painted in the colors of the flag - blue and yellow. Here is an aerial view (2 in the photo), a satellite image on Google Maps from 2.07.2022 (after the occupation of Sievierodonetsk).
And within the sports school itself, not even the windows and glass were damaged. These are photos from 06.08.2022.
The building (1 in the photo) is also clearly visible in the satellite image, demonstrating that it has remained completely intact.
Therefore, Morgunov's claim about "restoring some buildings practically from ruins" is an outright lie:
"Some buildings had to be revived practically from ruins."
The occupation-appointed mayor goes on to state that the school had not undergone any repairs in all the years before the arrival of the "liberators":
"For many decades, the school was practically not repaired, although it continued its work."
However, he is also mistaken here, as the administration of CCYSS No. 1 consistently took care of the school and sought to improve the training conditions for future athletes.
Yes, in 2020, with support from the city council, the school staff renovated the tennis courts. During the same period, one and a half million hryvnias were allocated from the city budget for a major roof repair.
"In the summer of 2021, construction workers entered there and completely renovated heating, ceiling, lighting, bathrooms, changing rooms, and installed new lockers. A week before the invasion, we planned to replace the floor covering; the craftsmen had already brought their tools, waiting for the materials... but it never happened," says Valentyna Savchenko.
"Right now, together with the Ministry of Sports of the LNR, we are actively equipping CCYSS No. 1 with new equipment and sports inventory. More than 100 units of sports equipment have already been handed over to the school," writes Morgunov.
Surprisingly, Deputy Director for Educational and Training Activities Valentyna Savchenko, upon seeing the photos of the "opening of the restored school" by the Russians, recognized most of the sports equipment that she had personally ordered
"We couldn't take out any sports equipment. In addition, former
Russians, after performing only painting works, call it a major repair.
Next is the building of CCYSS No. 1 at Fedorenko Street, 33. Here is how the occupation 'administration' reports on the repair of another hall, where tennis tables are installed.
And this photo was taken on the eve of the invasion:
So it's hard to find any differences after the 'reconstruction' by the Russians, except for the change in wall paint color. Moreover, the invaders also stole the tables:
We had 20 tennis tables left there, which were in the hall. And another 5 were folded. This is professional and very expensive equipment,' said Mrs. Valentyna.
In the post about the 'restoration' of the school, the puppet mayor Morgunov also publishes a photo of the boxing training hall:
In May 2021, the sports school posted information on its Facebook page about repair work:
'In CCYSS No. 1, repair work has begun in the boxing hall by the efforts of CCYSS No. 1 workers. Upon completion, the wiring will be replaced, new modern lighting and exhaust fans will be installed. All the necessary materials were purchased with the funds of CCYSS No. 1.'
And a post about the continuation of the work in July:
This is a photo of the boxing hall before the full-scale invasion, 2021.
We can also see that the boxing ring
The director Eduard Chebotaryov mentioned in an interview on May 13, 2020:
'Last year
So, if the Russian occupiers had not come, there would have been no need for any restoration. The school was operational, and the athletes were showcasing their training results on the international stage.
"We always had from three to six athletes from different sports disciplines who were part of the Ukrainian national team. They consistently participated in competitions from regional to nationwide levels, and table tennis athletes represented us even in international competitions. A few days ago, we were informed that Sievierodonetsk native Veronika Matyunina won the European Youth Table Tennis Championship. She is our alumna, and this is an excellent indicator," added Valentyna.
Today, athletes from Sievierodonetsk regularly participate in various competitions, championships, tournaments, and friendly matches. Coaches, scattered in different corners of Ukraine and abroad due to evacuation, continue to uphold Sievierodonetsk's reputation as a city of sporting glory, actively sharing their achievements on their own pages.
