Inspection of the Odesa Regional Academic Drama Theater
Following reports from the publication 'Glavkom,' the Odesa Regional Academic Drama Theater underwent inspections that uncovered violations. Anna Nerush, a representative of the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, led the probe. The case is now under review by the Odesa Regional Council, the Odesa Regional Military Administration (OVA), and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
In 2022, the theater dropped the word 'Russian' from its name. Earlier this spring, it canceled the premiere of the play 'Myna Mazailo' by Mykola Kulish. The production was directed by fourth-year students from the Kyiv National University of Theater, Cinema, and Television named after I. Karpenko-Kary. Theater management criticized the choice of play and its execution during the final review stage. The artistic council justified the cancellation by arguing the play could incite ethnic hostility and lacked critical merit.
Council members communicated with the students in Russian, as confirmed by audio recordings that captured:
- Theater director Olena Shramko-Pushkina
- Director Olena Shramko-Pushkina
- People's Artist Oleh Shkolnik
- Honored Artist Hennadii Skarha
- People's Artist Olha Ravitska
Shramko-Pushkina also mentioned the Holodomor in Ukraine and the famine in Russia's Volga region.
After the publications, student Andrii Hryshyn faced complaints and threats from his university and the 'Glavkom' editorial team. Shramko-Pushkina accused the student of state treason. On July 10, Anna Nerush announced the inspection results. Hryshyn filed a complaint and submitted audio recordings, which were forwarded to the SBU. The theater twice refused to provide documents, citing the Commissioner's lack of authority and personal data protection. The review of the materials took 2.5 hours.
The theater director received a citation under Article 188-53 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses (failure to comply with lawful demands of the Commissioner). Four additional citations were issued to artistic council members for violating Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine 'On Ensuring the Functioning of Ukrainian as the State Language.' Those cited include:
- Olena Shramko-Pushkina
- Oleh Shkolnik
- Olha Ravitska
- Andrii Smirnov
Honored Artist Hennadii Skarha also criticized the play in Russian, but no citation was issued due to a technical issue where the audio file failed to upload.
Working Group and Theater Response
In June, the Odesa Regional Council established a working group to investigate the theater. This followed appeals from lawmaker Maksym Tkachenko and the NGO 'History. Culture. Democracy.' During a council meeting on June 9, theater director Shramko-Pushkina denied the accusations and switched to Russian, for which she was reprimanded. The council's commission sent a letter to the council chair proposing the working group. The Odesa OVA reviewed Hryshyn's complaint and is processing the evidence.
“The issue was not just about language (and it never is just about language), but also about the statements made there,” said Anna Nerush.
She further emphasized, “We have initiated state control over language.” As evidence, Nerush obtained a witness statement identifying the individuals on the audio recordings who spoke Russian. Regarding Hryshyn, she noted, “I spoke extensively with the complainant—he has flawless Ukrainian and holds a specialized theater degree from a Ukrainian university.”
Additionally, sources from 'Glavkom' within the Commissioner's office pointed to a technical issue with one audio link that failed to upload, causing a delay in the review. “Based on the findings, a proper legal assessment of the circumstances will be provided, and if legal grounds exist, appropriate response measures will be taken,” stated the OVA letter.
This situation underscores the importance of adhering to Ukraine's language laws, particularly in cultural institutions that shape public discourse. The violations uncovered during the inspections could have serious consequences for the theater and its leadership, as language issues have become a hot topic in Ukrainian society. The ongoing developments in this case are likely to affect the theater's reputation and its ability to stage future performances.
The ongoing scrutiny of the Odesa Regional Academic Drama Theater highlights a broader issue regarding the use of the Russian language in Ukrainian cultural institutions. Recently, the theater faced multiple citations related to Russian-language signage and literature, raising questions about compliance with state language laws. For more details on the citations and their implications, read our full report on the theater's challenges with language regulations.