Soviet and Russian state propaganda glorified cases of heroic defense of Sevastopol, though, none of them was successful. Pro-Russian residents of Sevastopol love to say that they respect imperial and Soviet history of the city; they are proud of its achievements and respect the memory of its heroes. At the same time, they ignore official falsification of Sevastopol history and tolerate misappropriation of resources allocated for the preservation of this history.
The first defense of Sevastopol happened during the Eastern war 1853-1856, initiated by Russian Emperor Nikolai I to conquer Balkans and Middle East. He lost it to allies – Ottoman Empire, Great Britain, France and Sardinia. Major battles occurred in Crimea, hence its another name – the Crimean War. Russia has been defeated and subsequent Paris Treaty banned Russia to have the Navy in the Black Sea. As a rule, Russian official propaganda does not mention it. The failure is masked by glorification of defendants.
This is how memorization of heroic defense of Sevastopol was born on the site of the 4th bastion at the hill of Great Boulevard where military engineer Totleben built fortifications. After eleven months of the siege by allies, the Russian army left the southern part of the city and retreated to the northern side of Sevastopol Harbor.
Part of panorama of Francois Roubaud «Siege of Sevastopol» (1904). Photo: Radio Liberty
During the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Crimean War in1905, the boulevard was renamed into «Historical Boulevard», and rotunda with panorama «Defense of Sevastopol in 1854-55» was built there. Dozens of German painters and students, under the guidance of Francois Roubaud have worked on large panorama of battle scenes on Malakhovy Hill for three years in the suburb of Munich. The panorama has been 115 meters long. It has been sewed in Brussels.
In 1942, artillery of German troops damaged panorama. Its parts were brought to Moscow. After WWII Soviet painters re-created it and ignored historical facts. They added the figure of admiral Nakhimov though he has not visited the bastion on the day of battle. Roubaud’s original did not include his figure. New panorama did not have historical value but it became interesting tourist object of the city.
After Russian occupation of Sevastopol, Russian authorities decided to restore Historical Boulevard and panorama.
Exposition of the battery on the 4th bastion, ruined during the restoration of Historical boulevard. It has been the place of historical reconstruction before the Russian occupation of Sevastopol. Photo: social media
Saint Petersburg company «Meandr» was awarded the contract for the restoration without any competition. The Center for Journalist Investigations published several investigative stories about «Meandr». It received dozens of billions of Rubles for would be restoration of objects of cultural heritage in Russia and occupied Crimea. «Meandr» and its founder and director Yelena Zavadskaya were close to former Russian Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky.
«Meandr» and its subcontractors conducted low quality restoration of stairs of Mithridates in Kerch, Vorontsov Palace in Alupka, Genoese Fortress in Sudak and Khan Palace in Bakhchysarai. They failed to build new puppet theatre in Simferopol.
Under the disguise of restoration, LLC «Meandr» and its Russian subcontractors destroyed authentic Khan’s Palace in Bakhchysarai, the object of cultural heritage of Ukraine. Photo: Facebook Namık Kemal Bayar
In 2015, the Russian Ministry of Culture allocated almost half a billion Rubles for the restoration of Historical Boulevard in Sevastopol through its «Directorate for construction, reconstruction and restoration». «Meandr» received 70% in advance. In 2018, it started working but in 2019 the court in Saint Petersburg stopped the works under the accusation of fraud of subcontractors.
In 2020, the Historical Boulevard, the symbol of pride of Sevastopol and imperialist Russia, looked very unpleasant – everything was ruined, in chaos, full of construction materials everywhere. Teams of subcontractors regularly replaced each other. According to the author of Youtube channel «Krymchanin» [Crimean resident], construction workers were not paid. Local workers were not involved for unknown reasons and construction teams were brought from Russia.
Ruined status of Historical boulevard in February 2026. Photo: screenshot of video on channel «Krymchanin»
Russian governmental JSC «Sevastopolstroiproekt» received new contract for the restoration of the Historical Boulevard, its value is 2,4 billion Rubles.
There is no doubt that this money will be also stolen. It has been founded by Russian occupation government in Crimea, headed by Razvozhaev. Earlier it has been clone of Ukrainian LLC «Football club of Sevastopol». Under Ovsyannikov, former head of Russian Sevastopol occupation government, the club was subordinated directly to the government. Under Razvozhaev, the company has been used to channel budgetary resources into private pockets.
In 2021, the company was managed by Russian citizen Yulia Gubanova, who fled from criminal investigations in Sevastopol to the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia oblast. She headed two ministries and occupation authorities of Yakymivka in the region and then worked as PR manager in drone unit «Night witches» in battalion «BARS-SARMAT» of open Nazi Dmitrii Rogozin.
After management of intermediary company «Sevastopolstroiproekt» Yulia Gubanova (center) headed two «ministries» on temporary occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia oblast and then became PR manager of unit «Night witches» of Russian battalion «BARS-SARMAT» of Dmitrii Rogozin. Photo: social media
In Spring 2026, the Historical Boulevard remained abandoned, crossed by unknown fences. The architectural council of Russian occupation authorities discussed its future one more time. They recognized that its status is horrible.
«…restoration works were completed for 15 objects of cultural heritage, including the building of panorama of defense of Sevastopol. However, the territory of boulevard is in difficult abandoned situation. Historical planning can still be traced but roads and ways are fragmented, some of them are ruined or covered by asphalt. Wild grass is everywhere; it covers memorial objects», as reported Russian public official at the meeting of the architectural council.
Ruined Historical boulevard where panorama of the defense of Sevastopol is located. Photo: Forpost, June 2026
In 2025, i.e. eleven years after annexation of Crimea, Russians decided to restore the paintings of panorama, re-created by Soviet painters in 1950s.
Since spring 2025, experts of All-Russian restoration center named after Grabar, have conducted the restoration. They complained that paintings were covered by dust and had cracks.
As TV channel «Rossia» reported, remaining parts of panorama, painted by Francois Roubaud and restored after the fire in 1942, were hidden not only from visitors. Even experts of Grabar center were not able to see them.
Russians planned to demonstrate two restored parts of Roubaud’s panorama called «Atack» and «To the left from Yuferova» at the exhibition «Roubaud. 170» in June-October 2026. It is remarkable that they wanted to organize it in «Ukraina» cinema theatre, not in the building of panorama because the building has not yet been accepted after restoration works. Fire alarm system has not been installed there.
Thus, when the turf of the building was damaged by remnants of Ukrainian drone hit by Russian air defense, original parts of Roubaud’s panorama were not displayed in the building. Russian «governor» Razvozhaev lied about it and his lies were immediately refuted by experts of Russian museums! Roubaud’s original paintings are still kept in Moscow. Even Russian restoration experts did not have access to them.
We foresee that Russian occupation authorities will allocate billions of Rubles for the next restoration of Historical Boulevard or Roubaud’s panorama. As in previous cases, this money will be stolen by Russian public officials…
