---
title: "Stage Instead of Barricades: Victoria Bilan-Rashchuk on How Patriotism Cost Her a Job at the Lesya Ukrainka Theatre"
description: "Victoria Bilan-Rashchuk spoke about her dismissal from the Lesya Ukrainka Theatre due to her patriotic stance during Maidan. Stage instead of barricades, explosions outside the window, and the words \"we don't need people like that\" are what the actress remembers from those days. 🇺🇦🎭"
date: 2026-05-28T15:20:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/viktoria-bilan-rashchuk-dismissal-from-lesya-ukrainka-theatre-patriotism-en
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Stage Instead of Barricades: Victoria Bilan-Rashchuk on How Patriotism Cost Her a Job at the Lesya Ukrainka Theatre

![Actress Victoria Bilan-Rashchuk in a red vyshyvanka talks about her dismissal from the Lesya Ukrainka Theatre](https://xab.info/media/2026/05/28/viktoria-bilan-rashchuk-uvolnenie-iz-teatra-lesy-ukrainki-patriotizm/viktoria-bilan-rashchuk-interview.webp)

The story of Victoria Bilan-Rashchuk is not just a recollection of a difficult period in her career, but a vivid example of how art confronts reality. In 2013, at the height of the Euromaidan events, the actress found herself at the center of a conflict that ultimately led to her dismissal from the Lesya Ukrainka Russian Drama Theatre.

### Comedy Amidst Explosions

Victoria recalls those days with pain. While most Kyiv theaters closed their doors due to the unstable situation, the Russian Drama Theatre continued to operate. Actors took the stage to perform comedies while tragic events unfolded outside. Explosions could be heard right in the auditorium, and the metro and public transport had already stopped running.

The situation was absurd: there were 45 people on stage, but only 20 spectators in the hall. By law, the performance should have been canceled, but the management insisted on continuing operations.

### The Price of Patriotism

At that time, the artistic director of the theater was Mikhail Reznikovych, who was associated with the Party of Regions. He categorically refused to halt the theater's activities despite what was happening in the country. Victoria, unable to withstand the tension, demonstrated her civic stance: she began arriving in a vyshyvanka (traditional embroidered shirt), saying "Glory to Ukraine," and switched to speaking Ukrainian.

This did not go unnoticed. Colleagues began informing the management that the actress was openly demonstrating her loyalty to Ukrainian values. This eventually led to an "unpleasant conversation" with Reznikovych.

### "We Don't Need People Like That"

The words spoken by the director became a verdict: "We don't need people like that in our theater." Despite having no complaints about Victoria as an actress, she was fired. For her, this was a heavy blow, as the theater had been her dream since her days working in Dnipro.

However, time brought its own corrections. After the start of the full-scale war, the actors managed to achieve changes: the theater no longer bears the name "Russian Drama" and is now called the National Academic Drama Theatre named after Lesya Ukrainka. This has become a symbol of victory over the past and the affirmation of national identity.

### Personal Drama and Public Resonance

In addition to professional trials, Victoria Bilan-Rashchuk experienced personal upheavals. She admitted that she learned about her husband's infidelity during her pregnancy, which added even more drama to her life. Yet, even under such conditions, she continued to fight for her principles and her belief in art.

Victoria's story is a reminder that art does not exist in a vacuum. It reflects reality and sometimes becomes part of the struggle for freedom and justice.