Chinese opera singer's visit to Mariupol theater sparks Ukrainian condemnation

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused a group of Chinese bloggers of violating its state borders and entering the country illegally, after opera singer Wang Fan was filmed singing the Soviet war song “Katyusha” inside the Mariupol Drama Theater where hundreds were killed. 

“The performance of the song "Katyusha" by Chinese "opera singer" Wang Fan on the ruins of the Mariupol Drama Theater, where the Russian army killed more than 600 innocent people, is an example of complete moral degradation,” the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleg Nikolenko said in a Facebook statement on Friday. 

Wang was part of a group of Chinese bloggers visiting the occupied Ukrainian city, which Ukraine says is illegal. 

“Their arrival is illegal. It grossly violates Ukrainian legislation regulating the crossing of the state border by foreigners,” Nikolenko said. “Ukraine respects the territorial integrity of China and expects the Chinese side to explain the purpose of the Chinese citizens' stay in Mariupol, as well as the way they entered the temporarily occupied Ukrainian city.”

The Ukrainian Mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boichenko echoed criticism of the visit. 

China has not yet commented on the incident. 

More background: On March 16, the theater was struck by a heavy bomb while hundreds of people were taking shelter there. At the time, Mariupol was under siege by Russian forces. The theater was struck even though it had a large sign spelling out "children" on the ground outside.

The number of casualties was never confirmed, but several investigations estimated that as many as 600 people were killed.

The Russian military denied striking the building, and some Russian-appointed officials accused Ukrainian militants of carrying out the attack. No evidence for that claim has emerged