A Ukrainian actor was left needing stitches for a “hole in his head” after he was reportedly bitten and hit with a bottle during a vicious gang attack.
Oleksandr Grekov had just finished performing a Ukrainian version of the Irish play ‘Translations’ at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre when the shocking attack unfolded.
The 23-year-old was allegedly bitten during the assault on Saturday night that saw a glass bottle smashed over his head.
He had been standing near the Abbey, smoking when a group of five people approached, and snatched his cigarettes.
The three women and two men then attacked him when he followed them asking what they were doing.
Oleksandr had been in Ireland with the Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Drama Theatre.
Its spokesman Anastasya Pavlenko said: “Oleksandr was standing near the Abbey after our last show. He was smoking near the main entrance and a group of people tried to take the cigarette from his mouth and his pack of cigarettes.
“Oleksandr tried to follow them and said, ‘These are my cigarettes, what are you doing?’ And the group of people started to hit him with a bottle.
“They broke it over his head … some girl was also biting him. There were five of them, two males and three females.
“We are all surprised because we thought that Dublin was nice but sometimes s*** happens, it’s life. We are happy that he is alive.”
Speaking to DublinLive, Anastasya explained she didn’t see the attack, but saw Oleksandr in the immediate aftermath.
She said: “I saw the blood and a hole in his head so I was shocked. I was worried about him. It was a bad way to end our shows in Ireland.
“Police and an ambulance came quite quickly. Everybody was so kind and helpful.”
When asked how Oleksandr was doing now, Anastasya explained: “He’s pretty good now, he takes painkillers. He is OK but he has huge wounds on his face.”
She said she believes the group who attacked him were aged in their mid-20s.
The Abbey Theatre condemned the assault and said it was "saddened" by the incident which it blasted it as an "unprovoked, random act of mindless violent".
Anastasya also revealed that due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the group must get permission from Kiev’s Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Defence in order for men to be allowed to leave the war-torn nation.
The 28-strong group of actors and production staff, flew back to Kyiv yesterday after finishing a seven-show run.
Translations was written by Brian Friel and was first performed in 1980. It tells the story of a country where landmarks and place names are wiped and renamed in a new language.
The Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Drama Theatre version was originally performed in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv last October.
Anastasya said apart from Oleksandr being attacked, the crew found being in Ireland “very good”.
She added: “It was a good experience being in Ireland. We love Dublin and we loved our audiences and we love Irish people – so we were happy to be here.”
Gardai said nobody has been arrested for the assault yet.
In a statement, a spokesman added: “Officers received a report of an incident of assault on Eden Quay on Saturday evening.
“A man aged in his 20s was taken to the Mater Hospital to be treated for injuries believed to be non-life threatening. No arrests have been made but our inquiries are ongoing.”
