Deep underground in Kharkiv, near Ukraine's frontline, children watched a ballet performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as an air raid warning blared above. The Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre has become a sanctuary for families seeking respite from the constant threat of Russian attacks.
Mum Darya Syrova, 35, brought her five-year-old daughter Vasilisa to her first ballet. 'It was stunning, marvellous,' Syrova said. 'For these two hours to forget our reality, to dive inside this beauty and forget what's going on outside, that's very important.'
The theatre's director general, Dr Igor Tuluzov, recalled the early days of the war when staff lived in the building. In March 2022, a cluster rocket hit the roof, causing fires that were extinguished by staff. The main auditorium, with 1,500 seats, has been largely unused since February 2022, though Tuluzov hopes to gradually reopen it.
Ballet dancer Sofia Grigoriadi, who played Snow White, said: 'I believe that during wartime we need even more performances like this, so that children do not get caught up in adult problems.'
The theatre's resilience reflects life in Kharkiv, where a recent Russian attack on a residential area killed six people, including a three-year-old boy, and injured over 30. Despite the dangers, the theatre continues to provide a cultural escape for the city's residents.
