The New York Times says Russian documentary seeks to rewrite the Mariupol theater attack

According to an October 12 report by The New York Times, a documentary produced by Russia attempts to rewrite the narrative of the Mariupol Drama Theater attack, placing the blame on Ukraine — while The New York Times' previous investigation had confirmed that the airstrike was carried out by Russian forces, killing hundreds of civilians who had taken shelter in the building.

The report noted that at the time of the strike the theater housed a large number of civilians sheltering inside, and the building was reduced to ruins after the airstrike. The accompanying photographs, taken in April 2022, show the wreckage of the theater, with captions indicating that the area was already under the control of pro-Russian armed forces when they were taken.

The New York Times examines the release of the documentary within the broader context of rewriting the war narrative. The report noted that the film seeks to subvert the responsibility confirmed by existing investigations by re-attributing documented military operations.