These images were taken six months apart, in summer and in winter, and show efforts to restore the Azov sea pearl
It’s now over seven months since Mariupol – the second largest city of the Donetsk People’s Republic – was liberated from Ukrainian forces, which included the neo-Nazi Azov Regiment. The city has become one of the symbols of Russia’s military campaign, and victory there has arguably been the main triumph, so far.
Since the fighting ended, locals have tried to return to peaceful life in the now Russian city. Photojournalist Arseniy Kotov visited twice – in the summer and winter of 2022. His photographs reflect its most recent history and its ongoing reconstruction, which is one of Moscow’s top priorities.
Summer
I first visited Mariupol in the summer. To get there, I had to hitchhike. The driver dropped me off at Shevchenko Boulevard, one of the city’s central streets – named after the iconic Ukrainian poet. The nearest building, which was on a hill, towered above all the surroundings. To get a better view, I walked upstairs and went out on the balcony of an apartment that was missing doors and hds damaged walls. From there, I had a pretty good view of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant, now known around the world because of the combat there.
![](https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2023.01/original/63cfec1c2030271dac6b8885.jpg)
© RT / Arseniy Kotov, special report for RT
I walked to the city’s west side and met a 30-something man and woman roaming around a collapsed nine-story apartment building. They were well dressed, in a trendy way, but were collecting trash in the ruins. They asked me not to photograph them.
![](https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2023.01/original/63cfec292030271dac6b888e.jpg)
© RT / Arseniy Kotov, special report for RT
The city was full of graffiti scribbled after the arrival of Russian troops. Some of the inscriptions demonstrated the locals’ attitude towards the Kiev authorities or other pressing issues, while others were directly related to issues of survival. “People live here” was one of the most frequent inscriptions. It was meant to protect the lives of residents from grenades thrown by the army when clearing the area.