Mariupol theatre airstrike

Mariupol theatre airstrike
Damage to the theatre after the airstrike
LocationDonetsk Regional Drama Theatre
Mariupol, Ukraine
Date16 March 2022 (2022-03-16) (UTC+3)
TargetPeople using the theatre as an air raid shelter
Attack type
Airstrike
DeathsEstimates range from 12[1] to over 600 people[2]
Perpetrator Russian Armed Forces and other pro-Russian militants.

On 16 March 2022, during the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Russian army[3] bombed the Mariupol theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine. It was used as an air raid shelter during the siege of Mariupol. The theatre was used as a shelter by a lot of people.

The Ukrainian government blamed the Russian army of intentionally bombing the theatre while it was being used by civilians as an air-shelter.[4] But, Russia denied the allegations and claimed that Ukraine was trying to frame Russia.[5] The Russian claim was not accepted by independent organizations.

The Mariupol theatre is included in the list of Ukrainian heritage and cultural sites destroyed during the war.[6] The attack has been claimed as a war crime by the OSCE[7]and Amnesty International.[8]

Background

The theatre in May 2021.

On 24 February 2022, the Russian army and the pro-Russian militants surrounded the city of Mariupol which resulted in a lot of casualties. Supplies such as food, gas, and electricity were cut off during the attack.[9]

Mariupol City Council officials said that the theatre was the biggest air raid shelter in the city, which protected from 500[3] to 1,200[4] people, and at the time of the attack, women and children were also inside the theatre.[10][11]

Killings

On 25 March, the Mariupol City Council estimated that about 300 people had been killed in the airstrike.[12][13]

On 4 May, the Associated Press (AP) published an investigation and provided evidence claiming that 600 died in the airstrike.[14] Many survivors estimated that around 200 people had escaped through the main exit, while the other side and the back were crushed.[14]

Reaction

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of committing a war crime.[15]

Russian media reported that the Russian Ministry of Defence denied responsibility for the bombings and blamed the Azov Regiment for bombing the theatre.[16]

Italy's Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, made an offer to the Ukrainian government to rebuild the theatre.[17]

The attack was claimed as a war crime by the OSCE[7] and Amnesty International.[8]

Aftermath

The damaged theatre (view from the road)[18]

On 11 July 2022, The theatre rubble was cleared by the Russians and bodies of the victims were taken away to an unknown place.[19][20][21]

In February 2023, Russian journalist Maria Ponomarenko was arrested and was sentenced to six years in prison under Russia's war censorship laws for publishing information about the Mariupol theatre airstrike.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ukraine: Deadly Mariupol Theatre Strike 'A Clear War Crime' By Russian Forces". Amnesty International. 30 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  2. ↑ Hinnant, Lori; Chernov, Mstyslav; Stepanenko, Vasilisa (4 May 2022). "AP evidence points to 600 dead in Mariupol theater airstrike". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Ukraine: Mariupol Theater Hit by Russian Attack Sheltered Hundreds". Human Rights Watch. 16 March 2022. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  4. 1 2 Bachega, Hugo (16 March 2022). "Ukraine war: Russia attacks theatre sheltering civilians, Mariupol says". BBC News. Archived from the original on 17 April 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  5. ↑ "Russia accuses Ukraine of trying to frame it over Mariupol theatre attack". Reuters. 17 March 2022. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  6. ↑ Cascone, Sarah (23 March 2022). "A Mariupol Museum Dedicated to One of Ukraine's Most Important Realist Painters Has Reportedly Been Destroyed by Russian Airstrikes". Artnet News. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  7. 1 2 "Russia's attacks on civilians in Mariupol are 'war crimes,' OSCE says". The Washington Post. 2022-04-13. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  8. 1 2 "Deadly Mariupol theatre strike 'a clear war crime'". Amnesty International. 2022-06-30. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  9. ↑ "Historic Theater Sheltering Mariupol Civilians Hit By Air Strike, Number Of Casualties Unknown". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. AP, AFP, dpa, and BBC. 16 March 2022. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022. Up to 1,200 people may have been inside the theatre, the city's deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov said.
  10. ↑ Lister, Tim (16 March 2022). "Russia bombs theater where hundreds sought shelter and 'children' was written on grounds". CNN. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  11. ↑ Hayes, Andy (16 March 2022). "Ukraine war: People buried under rubble after Mariupol theatre sheltering hundreds is hit by Russian bomb, officials say". Sky News. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "Ukraine fears 300 people were killed in Mariupol theatre bombed by Russia as families sheltered". www.independent.co.uk. 25 March 2022. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  13. ↑ "Satellite images show apparent devastation, hunger in Mariupol". NBC News. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  14. 1 2 "AP evidence points to 600 dead in Mariupol theater airstrike". AP News. 2022-05-04. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  15. ↑ Hayes, Andy (16 March 2022). "Ukraine war: People buried under rubble after Mariupol theatre sheltering hundreds is hit by Russian bomb, officials say". Sky News. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  16. ↑ "Inside the Mariupol theater attack: 'I heard screams constantly' - the Washington Post". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  17. ↑ "Ukraine: Italy ready to rebuild Mariupol theatre says min". ANSA. 17 March 2022. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  18. ↑ Росіяни завдали авіаудару по Драмтеатру і басейну "Нептун" у Маріуполі, а також з Градів обстріляли авто колону, що йшла на Запоріжжя [The Russians launched an air strike on the Drama Theatre and the Neptune swimming pool in Mariupol, as well as fired on a convoy going to Zaporizhia from Grady]. Донецька обласна державна адміністрація [Donetsk Regional State Administration] (Press Release). 2022-03-16. Archived from the original on 2022-05-15. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  19. ↑ "Россияне разобрали завалы и вывезли тела из Драмтеатра Мариуполя – установить количество жертв невозможно" [Russians have dismantled rubble and have moved bodies elsewhere from Mariupol Drama Theatre – It's impossible to identify exact amount of victims]. www.ukrinform.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
  20. ↑ "Оккупанты разобрали завалы и вывезли тела из драмтеатра Мариуполя – советник мэра" [Occupants have dismantled rubble and took bodies from Mariupol Theatre away – Mayor adviser]. ТСН.ua (in Russian). 2022-05-20. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
  21. ↑ Лукащукова, Елизавета (2022-05-03). "Тяжелую технику привлекли к разбору завалов драмтеатра в Мариуполе" [Heavy equipment was involved in the analysis of the rubble of the drama theater in Mariupol]. Ямал-Медиа. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
  22. ↑ "Russia Jails Anti-War Journalist 6 Years for 'Fake News'". The Moscow Times. 15 February 2023.
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