Large theater performance on Khojaly genocide to be staged for first time in Ukraine

Kiev. 13 February. REPORT.AZ/ A large theater performance will be presented in Kiev, Ukraine, ahead of the 27th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide.

Chairman of the United Diaspora of Ukrainian Azerbaijanis (UDUA) Hikmat Javadov told the Kiev bureau of Report that the theater supported by the State Committee for Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan and UDUA, will be presented on February 22 at 18:00 local time at the Bravo Dramatic Theater (O. Goncharova Street 79) with the steering support of UDUA, United Ukrainian Azerbaijanis Congress (UUAC), and Kiev Azerbaijanis Congress (KAC).The spectacle will be staged by Ukrainian Cherniy kvadrat theater

The play based on the book by Elshad Eyvazli “The children that did not grow up” about the tragedy of 25 children who lost both parents as a result of the Khojaly genocide will be staged by Ukraine theater 'The Black Square'.

The producer of the play is Yuriy Klatskin, the author of the idea is deputy chairman of the United Diaspora of Ukrainian Azerbaijanis (UDUA) Murad Jafarov. The project is managed by UDUA chairman Hikmat Javadov. Other Azerbaijani diaspora organizations in Ukraine also joined the project implementation.

Notably, on the night of February 26, 1992, Armenian forces, with the help of the former Soviet 366th Motor Rifle Regiment invaded Khojaly village. The village had been under blockade since October 1991, when all roads leading to the city were blocked, and the only available transport was by helicopter. Continuous gunfire began on February 25 evening. The whole town was on fire at about 5am, 26th February. That was the time when peaceful inhabitants fled the town in desperation to save their lives. 2,500 civilians remaining in the village left their territory with the hope to reach Agdam. 613 out of these 2,500 fell victim to the enemy fire. As a result of this tragedy, 613 Khojaly civilians were killed including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly civilians. 8 families were completely annihilated. 130 children lost one of their parents, and another 25 lost both of them. 76 out of 487 people wounded by an enemy bullet were children. 1,275 Khojaly residents were taken prisoner and 150 went missing.