15:04, 12.05.2026

Mariupol native and local historian Andrey Marusov spoke in an interview with UNIAN about the four years of this city’s life under occupation, and why Russians are so interested in it.

The Battle of Mariupol is one of the most tragic pages of the full-scale war with Russia. It lasted from February 24 to May 21, 2022, when the last defenders left the Azovstal plant. Russian troops then almost completely destroyed the city. The number of people killed during the blockade of Mariupol is still unknown (data is said to be over 20 thousand people). Now the Russian authorities are trying to create a picture of the city’s restoration and are implementing their “best” occupation practices there.

Mariupol resident and historian Andriy Marusov shared information with UNIAN about what lies behind the occupiers’ promises to restore Mariupol, how its ethnic composition has changed, and who is buying up “mortgage housing” there.

Mr. Andriy, according to your observations, how has Mariupol changed over the four years of occupation?

There are still people living in Mariupol who, for various reasons, were unable to leave. The vast majority of them are pensioners. Many cannot travel because of the long and difficult road to Ukraine. The rest of the population of Mariupol are Russians who come to buy housing on a mortgage. They are also families of Russian soldiers who settle in the homes of Mariupol residents. A certain part of the city’s residents are guest workers from Central Asia, whom the Russian occupiers bring to perform various construction works – from restoration to the construction of mortgage housing. 

There is no cultural, economic, business or any other elite in today’s Mariupol. Some of these people died during the Russian bombing. Those who survived almost all left: some to European countries, some to the territory controlled by Ukraine.

Is the utility sector also in decline?

If there is no economic development, one should not expect development in other areas. Currently, the city exists solely on subsidies from Moscow.

There is an opinion that Mariupol is a kind of showcase for the occupied territories for Russia. At least in the past, the Russians tried to maintain this illusion with stories of “restoration”.

From the very beginning, it was obvious that Mariupol was being transformed into a military-logistical hub, a base.

The metallurgical industry has been completely destroyed. Even after the city is de-occupied, one should not expect the owners of Azovstal to restore it. The Ilyich plant is currently used by the occupiers as a repair base and a place to deploy air defense systems, and the seaport is mainly used to transport coal, grain, etc. stolen from the occupied territories of the Donetsk region. Military cargo also passes through the port. According to their statistics, if there is at least 10% of the pre-war cargo turnover, this is already considered a good indicator…

As for “reconstruction,” “mortgage construction” is underway in the city. Although the 2% preferential mortgage has already been canceled throughout Russia due to the war and the difficult situation in the country, this program is still in effect in Mariupol and several other occupied southern regions. Recently, a representative of the Russian occupation authorities from the Institute of Spatial Development from Moscow came to Mariupol and for the first time announced data on who is buying housing in these “mortgage” houses. According to her, 75% of buyers are Russian citizens, 25% are citizens of the so-called “new territories.”

At the same time, the Russian authorities are demanding that real estate in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine be re-registered according to Russian rules by July 1, otherwise the housing may be recognized as “ownerless” and confiscated. What about this in Mariupol?

The robbery of Mariupol residents is in full swing. If housing is not re-registered according to Russian law, it is taken away. Now, many houses throughout the city have notices on them demanding that the apartment be registered by a certain date. If this is not done, the apartment will be recognized as ownerless and will be transferred to the so-called state property.

Another thing – without Russian citizenship, it is impossible to re-register your housing. There is a strict dependence here: if you are not a citizen of Russia, you can forget about your property.

Those who left Mariupol can’t do anything: for several years now, the only way for them to get home has been through Sheremetyevo Airport. But many are denied entry.

A similar approach is applied to those Mariupol residents who remained. Some of them have housing, but their documents have been lost. Restoring them or registering their property is a real seven circles of hell. The occupation administration works for limited hours, and there are always huge queues.

As a historian, I recall the period of the Nazi occupation of Mariupol. At that time, people who remained under occupation were not forced to obtain citizenship of Nazi Germany and re-register their property. Now the situation is worse than during the Nazi occupation. 

Do Mariupol residents who are left without housing participate in Russian mortgage programs?

The occupation authorities cynically declare that mortgage housing is available to everyone and that Mariupol residents can also buy it. But where can Mariupol residents earn money? When the metallurgy, port, machine-building enterprises and IT industry were operating, people had good earnings. Then they could afford to save money or participate in mortgage programs back in the days of Ukraine. Now it is simply impossible for most people.

Recently, information has appeared about alleged compensation for destroyed housing. But in practice, people receive a small barn with a booth. As for monetary compensation, for example, the owner of a three-room apartment can, at most, count on purchasing a very small dwelling.

Some of the Mariupol residents who remained did get something: some had their houses repaired, some were lucky enough to get housing in restored, non-mortgage houses. But still, tens of thousands of people are lost. They don’t have their own homes: some live in dilapidated houses, some live with relatives, and some even live in garages or summer houses. 

I saw information that the Russian occupiers in Mariupol are considering the possibility of partially building residential buildings on the territory of Azovstal. The Russians also plan to build hotels, an industrial park, and tourist facilities on the site of the factory they destroyed. How do you perceive these statements? 

If I’m not mistaken, the first approved plan for the “development of Mariupol” appeared back in 2024. At that time, it was said that the occupation authorities would not restore Azovstal as a metallurgical plant, but planned to create industrial parks, a museum, etc. Now, according to the aforementioned representative of the Institute of Spatial Development, if people do not live in this territory, it will be empty in the evening and at night. Therefore, something needs to be done and residential buildings built.

But in order to implement any projects on the territory of Azovstal, it must first be demined. Information regularly appears – both in Russian and Ukrainian public forums – about people being blown up. We understand that there were massive bombings, mining… However, no demining actually takes place. Now the territory of Azovstal is used to house air defense systems. Some bunkers have been adapted for the Russian military.

To what extent was the historical architectural heritage of Mariupol damaged during the war?

The entire historical part of Mariupol was destroyed during the blockade and assault. These were one- and two-story houses. In several blocks of Old Mariupol, the land has already been transferred for the construction of cottages. And here again the question arises: what will happen to the property of the people who lived there? It seems as if this is some empty territory on which they simply started building. But this is the private sector, and dozens of people will be left without their property and land plots.

In general, the occupiers restored only a couple of buildings that had the status of architectural or historical monuments. In particular, the Drama Theater.

What is your opinion on this reconstruction and grand opening of the Drama Theater by the Russians, who destroyed it with their aerial bombs, killing dozens of people inside?

The Drama Theater is a pain for all conscious Mariupol residents. What is happening is extreme cynicism, hypocrisy, and mockery of the memory of the dead. The occupiers restored the theater and held several demonstration events. But, as their reports show, there is still a lot of work to be done inside to make it fully operational.

Mariupol residents who have left often discuss what to do with the place after its liberation. There are several options, and each of them involves properly honoring the memory of those who died as a result of the Russian bombing. It is about creating a cultural center of historical memory.

The Drama Theater was once built on the site of the Cathedral of Mary Magdalene, destroyed by the Bolsheviks. Some say that perhaps this particular cathedral should be restored – with an appropriate memorialization of the events of March 2022.

In any case, what the Russians did was a mockery and a spitting image of all the people of Mariupol. 

In general, what narratives is the Russian Federation planting in Mariupol?

Several “trends” can be identified here.

First, it is a rewriting of history. They are trying to present Mariupol as a Russian city. But this is a fabrication, a lie and a provocation. When I entered the history department, Soviet historians were saying that the first settlement in this territory was Kalmiuska palanka. It was the Zaporizhian Cossacks who founded it. But it did not last long. Then there were resettlements and deportations of Crimean Greeks. Mariupol was a Greek city for almost a century. And with the beginning of industrialization, the population began to change rapidly…

Therefore, all these statements are lies, which even Russian historians understand.

Secondly, for propaganda purposes, they are erecting pompous monuments dedicated to the so-called “heroic struggle of the “people of Donbas””. In one of the squares, on the site of a Soviet monument, a huge column with bronze bas-reliefs was installed. They depict the “history” of Mariupol – from Catherine II to the fight against the German-fascist invaders, and the culmination is the “liberation” of the city by Russian troops.

In addition, a huge anchor is being built along the sea, next to the Nakhimov School (a branch of the Nakhimov Naval School opened in Mariupol in 2024, UNIAN). By the way, the Russian occupiers built this military school for young men very quickly. Cadets are already studying there.

How is Russian propaganda being introduced into the city’s educational institutions?

In Mariupol, this has been going on since the beginning of the occupation. Russian propaganda is constantly developing, and no money is spared for it. In schools, such structures as “Youth Army”, “Movement of the First”, etc. are actively deployed. All this is militarized in nature. Mariupol is no different from other occupied territories, and some initiatives are being tested here.

Recently, in one of the Mariupol schools, a so-called “desk for the hero of the SVO” was opened – with all the Soviet-Russian rituals: rulers, leadership, school principal, student lineups, etc. All this is happening very actively.

And in fact, it is very dangerous, because Russian propaganda works effectively. Anyone who has relatives or friends left in the Russian Federation can confirm: even intelligent people who are under its influence every day begin to accept these narratives.

For many, this seems like a paradox: how in the age of the Internet, when you can check in five minutes whether something is a lie or not, does it work? What they are doing with the Internet is a step to limit access to reliable information for active, young, and intelligent people.

Are you aware of what the occupiers did to the mass graves of civilians who died during the siege of the city in 2022?

During the siege of the city, there were burials in almost every yard. After the occupation of Mariupol, the Russians began to conduct exhumations. The first was the Starokrymskoye cemetery, where the largest number of the dead were taken. Some of the bodies were secretly buried 25-30 km from the city – in Mangush. There were also small cemeteries, for example, on the eastern side – in Vinogradne (a former village that is now part of Mariupol – UNIAN). Recently, information has appeared that these burials in Mangush were destroyed. There were certain marks, crosses – all of this was simply razed to the ground. Satellite images show this.

For the fifth year, Mariupol residents who remained in the city have been asking the occupation authorities to publish lists of the buried and to put nameless graves in order. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of cases when people turn to funeral services, the occupation administration, and doctors, trying to find out where a person is buried. For example, at the Starokrym cemetery there are thousands of burials, and the columns with numbers have already fallen. It is obvious that the occupiers have these lists with numbers, who they found and where. But they do not open access.

There is not even a single monument to the victims of the Russian assault and blockade. It is clear that the occupiers will never allow these dead to be honored. But they could use some euphemism, like “in memory of the victims of the fighting in the spring of 2022.” But they don’t do that either.

Are the Mariupol authorities in exile taking any measures to unite and support those who left their hometown due to the occupation?

With the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the city authorities created centers of assistance for Mariupol residents called “I am Mariupol”. Much of their work is related to culture. They hold exhibitions and events dedicated to the blockade of Mariupol, the resistance of “Azov”, the marines, border guards who defended it. And some events are dedicated to the history of Mariupol.

The Mariupol Museum of Local Lore was also restored. It is clear that its collections burned down, but something remained – now it is actually a museum in exile.

On the one hand, such initiatives help unite the Mariupol community, even virtually, so that it does not disappear or get lost. On the other hand, it is important to counter the propaganda myths spread by the Russian occupiers.

How do Mariupol residents, currently in Ukraine or abroad, see the future of the city after its liberation? How difficult do you think it might be to return to a city that has already changed significantly?

It is clear that over time, more and more Mariupol refugees are trying to establish themselves in the country and area where they found themselves. Their return to the liberated Mariupol will depend on several factors. The first is whether their housing in the city has been preserved. People will not return to anywhere. And here the Ukrainian state must play its role and contribute to resolving this issue. Unfortunately, now we see that the government is unable to help with housing for Mariupol residents living in Ukraine. People are very outraged by this!

Second, most families with children will most likely try to stay in Europe. All my friends from this group placed their children in local schools back in 2022. They will try to get their children to graduate, and only then will they decide whether to return or not.

The third factor is the age of the refugees. In four years, most young Mariupol residents in Europe have already learned the local languages ​​and are building their life plans there. But older people are still determined to return to their hometown. In any case, in liberated Mariupol we should expect a deep demographic crisis. Worse than in all of Ukraine.

(C)UNIAN 2026