When Russia starts talking about the “bright future” of the occupied Azov region, it always emphasises tourism. Mariupol – tourism. Berdyansk – tourism. Tourism has become a new myth, a new goal in propaganda essays.
In fact, the absolute potential of the Sea of Azov in the field of tourism existed before the arrival of Russian control and the beginning of the Great War. Today, Russia has completely destroyed not just the potential, but the Sea of Azov as such.
The Azov ecosystem, which attracted families with children on the one hand, and wildlife lovers on the other, is almost destroyed. The rapid increase in sea salinity due to actual ecocide has led to a rapid growth of jellyfish and algae blooms for a much longer period. All this makes the sea unsuitable for recreation. It’s unpleasant, unsightly, and sometimes dangerous, meaning jellyfish stings. Therefore, family vacations not only did not increase, but even among the locals, it went into decline. Can we really think about crowded beaches under such conditions? Definitely not.
But even if you think about the beach, then problem number two arises. Infrastructure. The military blocks the entire coast of historical tourism in the Mariupol-Berdyansk conglomerate. At least 80% of recreation centres and hotels are allocated to accommodate the occupying forces. Which causes further restrictions, like curfews, restrictions on freedom of movement, etc. Moreover, training grounds and air defence systems. Explosions, gunfire, and echoes of military drills are definitely not something you want to have around while lying on the beach.
All this is not just about being used. It is about destroying the region’s existing tourism infrastructure with every step.
Therefore, the beautiful slogans about “Around Azov [Pryazovye – in Ukrainian] region tourism” mean only the desire to give away any hope. I hope for Russians and people under occupation that their lives will improve. But I know that this is another masking of the reality of destruction under a bright picture of fiction.
By Petro Andryushchenko
*These opinions are solely those of the author. The Ukrainian Review takes no position and is not responsible for the author’s words.
Petro Andryushchenko was an adviser to the mayor of Mariupol. After the Russian Federation started war in Ukraine in February 2022, he became the de facto “voice” of Mariupol.
On his Telegram channel, “Andryushchenko Time“, he tells the truth about the horrors of the occupation, the deportation of people by the Russian occupants and the “filtration” camps in Donbas.
Stanislav Kinka adapted this text for The Ukrainian Review.
