Azov Odyssey play brings Ukraine war to Kyiv stage

A Kyiv stage adaptation of the Odyssey written and performed by service members from Ukraine's Azov military corps uses drones, radios and memories of Mariupol to recast Homer's story around the war and missing captives.

The production is a collaboration between the Ivan Franko Theatre and Azov. Ticket funds go to an organisation supporting prisoners of war, and the play forms part of the unit's cultural outreach.

Its version of the Odyssey takes place on Maeotis, the ancient name for the Sea of Azov, near Mariupol, which has been occupied by Russia since 2022. The sea gave its name to the Azov unit, which began as a fringe battalion with far-right roots, later integrated into Ukraine's regular army and became a national symbol for many Ukrainians after its fighters held out during the 2022 siege of Mariupol.

The previous day's performance was cancelled after Russia launched waves of drones at Kyiv. Director Ivan Uryvskyi said before the premiere that he felt a “huge responsibility” in staging the work.

The play echoes experiences of soldiers and families left without news of missing loved ones. Lead actor Danylo Mireshkin, who serves with Azov, said the hardest part was reliving the duty to retrieve wounded and fallen comrades when that is not always possible.

Hundreds of Azov fighters remain captive. Moscow has staged trials highlighting the unit's far-right roots, which Azov denies, as part of Russia's widely disputed claim that its invasion aims to “denazify” Ukraine.