Russian outlet The Village has published the Russian “plan for development of Mariupol through 2035”, which was prepared by the Single Institution of Spatial Planning (formerly Moscow’s Institution of Urban Planning) by request of Russia’s Ministry of Construction. The document has also been published in its entirety by the Meduza outlet.
Suggestions on restoration of buildings in the historic centre of Mariupol
According to the plan, by 2035 the population of Mariupol, annexed by Russia in September, will have more than doubled — from 212,000 people to 500,000 people. There are plans to build 2.24 mln cubic metres of housing by the end of 2022, with the maximum building height being 15 storeys (and 10 storeys in the centre of the city). By 2035, 8.75 mln cubic metres of housing are supposed to be built, according to the document. Furthermore, the plan’s creators intend to build 46 kindergartens, 21 schools, and 8 clinics by the end of 2022.
Priority tasks are as established:
- Restoration of individual housing construction objects and blocks of flats, construction of prefabricated blocks of flats;
- Job creation in the areas of the economy that are in demand;
- Restoration of life-supporting, engineering, transportation, and social infrastructure;
- Conservation and restoration of natural areas, introduction of ecologically clean technologies, improvement of territories.
Additionally, there are plans to restore the Drama Theatre located in the historic centre of Mariupol. As a result of the theatre being shelled by the Russian military back in March, 300 people were killed. The plan includes the new name for the theatre — “Russian Drama Theatre”.
The creators of the masterplan also dedicated a separate slide of the presentation to restoration of Illich Iron & Steel works and Azovstal steelworks. They suggest creating a technopark with several plants on the territory of Azovstal steelworks; in total, these plants would provide employment for 9,200 people. Azovstal steelworks was the place where the Azov regiment fighters and other soldiers of Ukraine’s Armed Forces held the defence for several months after the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Suggestions for restoration of Illich Iron & Steel works and Azovstal steelworks
“This document is viable only in the short-term. It establishes which buildings should be restored and which shouldn't and introduces regulations for the new construction on the site of demolished buildings.
“It’s probable they will have time to achieve some of these goals. It’s paradoxical that restoration begins from the historic centre and Azovstal steelworks. The Soviet residential districts, badly damaged [during the invasion] and with the biggest population density, where tens of thousands ended up with no home, they’re planned on being restored after 2030 and 2035. Where will these people live until then? Will a manoeuvrable fund be created for them? The document doesn’t answer these questions,” urban planning specialist told The Village on condition of anonymity.
On 28 September, the occupation “authorities” of the self-proclaimed “DPR”, “LPR”, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions reported the results of the “referendums” on joining Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called these “referendums” a “farce”. The only country to recognise the results of the “referendums” was North Korea.
