On this day 3-yrs ago, March 16, 2022, Russian forces bombed the Mariupol Drama Theatre, it was a shelter for hundreds of civilians, including many children.
People sheltering inside the building painted the word “CHILDREN” in large letters outside to clearly signal their presence. Yet, Russian forces struck the theatre, killing hundreds of peaceful Ukrainians.
In March 2022, Mariupol, a strategic port city on Ukraine’s Sea of Azov, endured a devastating siege by Russian forces. The city, with a pre-war population of 430,000, faced relentless shelling and airstrikes that led to widespread destruction and significant civilian casualties, the exact toll of which remains impossible to calculate while Mariupol remains under Russian occupation.
We will never forget the innocent lives lost that day. The bombing of the
Mariupol Drama Theatre stands as one of the most appalling Russian war crimes.