Ukrainian actor viciously attacked after performance in the Abbey Theatre

The Abbey Theatre in Dublin has condemned "an unprovoked" attack which left a Ukrainian actor in hospital.

Oleksandr Grekov was viciously assaulted by a group of people who smashed a bottle off his head before using it to stab him in the face, according to the Irish Mirror.

Grekov is a member of the Lesya Ukrainka National Theatre. He had just finished performing a Ukrainian version of the famous Irish play Translations in the Abbey Theatre when he was attacked after the show.

"We were honoured to welcome and work with our Ukrainian colleagues from the Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Drama Theatre over the last ten days, showing their production of Brian Friel's Translations to sold out houses at the Abbey Theatre," said the Abbey Theatre in a statement.

"They are a group of incredible and resilient artists - using their art as an act of resistance to speak to their lived experience in a powerful and deeply moving way."

One year of full-scale Ukraine war protest in Dublin. 24th of February 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

"Unfortunately, one of the cast was attacked near the Abbey on Saturday evening after the final performance. This was an unprovoked, random act of mindless violence that left the cast member needing stitches and treatment in hospital."

"Both the Abbey Theatre and the Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Drama Theatre condemn this behaviour and stand together against bullying and violence of this nature. The cast member is recovering well and began the journey home to Kyiv with the rest of the company yesterday.

"The Abbey Theatre will continue to work with the gardai, who are investigating the incident." They want to say the attack will "not overshadow the joyful and important collaboration between both two theatre companies."

"No arrests have been made at this time. Enquiries are ongoing," said the Gardai in a statement.

Speaking on Grekov's begalf, Anastasya Pavlenko, the Assistant Managing Director for International Affairs at Lesya Ukrainka National Theatre, said to The Irish Mirror, "we are all surprised because we thought that Dublin was nice but sometimes sh*t happens, it’s life."