Russia Dismantles Iconic Ukrainian 'Metallurgists' Mosaic from Mariupol Railway Station

Russian occupying forces have reopened the railway station in temporarily occupied Mariupol and dismantled the "Metallurgists" mosaic from the waiting hall on the second floor. The panel, created by local monumental artists Valentina Konstantinova and Lelya Kuzminkova, has been completely destroyed, according to the Mariupol City Council.

"The invaders are boasting on propaganda channels about the 'restoration' of the railway station they themselves had destroyed in Mariupol. In the spring of 2022, the Russians damaged the station building by more than 80%," the press service reported.

The large mosaic panel honoring the workers of Mariupol, titled "Metallurgists," was created in 1974. For over forty years, it adorned the main hall of the railway station and became one of the city's landmarks. In 2019, the mosaic was displayed at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The construction of the new Mariupol railway station was completed in 1974. Local monumental artists Valentina Konstantinova and Lelya Kuzminkova were commissioned to work on the building's decoration. The artists typically collaborated on their projects: they created mosaic friezes for the "Vozhmash" factory buildings, a mosaic panel on the facade of the Culture House in the village of Urzuf, and several monumental monuments in the city and region.

During the siege of Mariupol, the railway station building suffered ongoing damage, and at one point, a fire broke out. According to a journalist from the newspaper Esthete, the "Metallurgists" mosaic might have been salvaged. Photos from 2022 show the charred panel. However, Russian forces dismantled the station's decoration down to its iron frame.