Visuals Emerge Showing Damage Of Russian Bombing On Theatre That Sheltered Over 1000 Civilians

Ukrainian authorities have released photos of what they claim are of the destruction caused by the Russian bombing of a Drama Theatre in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol.

According to the authorities, over a thousand civilians including many elderly people had taken shelter in the building that was bombed on Thursday.

Twitter

Images showed the once gleaming whitewashed three-storey theatre hollowed out and ablaze, with bricks and scaffolding piled high.

It is a war crime

"The invaders destroyed the Drama Theatre. A place where more than a thousand people found refuge. We will never forgive this," the Mariupol City Council said in a Telegram post.

Multiple reports that Russian forces dropped a bomb on Mariupol drama theatre where (at least until yesterday) hundreds of people were taking refuge. If confirmed refugees were still inside, this would be potentially the worst civilian harm incident and an undisputable war crime. pic.twitter.com/sDfhHULLCM

¡ª Christo Grozev (@christogrozev) March 16, 2022

Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko called the attack a "horrifying tragedy."

"People were hiding there. And some said they were lucky to survive, but unfortunately not all were lucky," he said in a video message.

Hundred of refugees, who took shelter in #Mariupol Drama Theatre have been attacked, reportedly.

The number of deaths maybe very high ?

This is their last video from theatre ?#RussiaUkraineWar #PutinWarCriminal #PutinHitler #UkraineWar #Russia #PutinIsaWarCriminal pic.twitter.com/OYcMnKSqai

¡ª ALERT NEWS (@AlertNewsBreak) March 16, 2022

"The only word to describe what has happened today is genocide, genocide of our nation, our Ukrainian people. But I am confident that the day will come when our beautiful city of Mariupol will rise out of the ruins again."

Ukrainian officials branded the bombing a war crime.

AP

"It is impossible to find words to describe the level of cynicism and cruelty, with which Russian invaders are destroying peaceful residents of a Ukrainian city by the sea," an official statement read.

Human rights groups said the picture in Mariupol was still unclear.

"Until we know more, we cannot rule out the possibility of a Ukrainian military target in the area of the theater, but we do know that the theater had been housing at least 500 civilians," said Belkis Wille, of Human Rights Watch.

Reuters

Russia blames Azov battalion

Russia has, however, denied bombing and stated the building was destroyed in an explosion set off by Ukraine's nationalist Azov battalion.

It claimed "peaceful civilians could be held hostage" at the site.

Moscow has not offered any evidence to back its claim.

Russian channels are veering between "we destroyed Azov HQ at the theater" and "we didn't do it, they themselves up". But the amount of pure evil - celebrating deaths of civilians - on Russian pro-war telegram channels is astounding. pic.twitter.com/Upke0n8llL

¡ª Christo Grozev (@christogrozev) March 16, 2022

No the first time

This is not the first time since launching the invasion on February 24, Russia has accused Ukraine of targeting its own population, without proof.

Following the attack on a maternity hospital last week that killed at least three people, Russia had made similar claims.

AP

Photos of injured patients, including pregnant women fleeing the hospital, had caused an international outcry and calls for a war crimes probe against Russia.

Russia had initially claimed that the hospital was non-functional and that the pregnant injured woman seen in the viral photos was a model, faking injuries with make-up.

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