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18th Mar 2022

130 pulled out of Ukrainian theatre rubble after devastating Russian airstrike

Danny Jones

This is the same theatre that was bombed even after the word ‘children’ was spelt outside

130 people are thought to have been evacuated from a theatre in the city of Mariupol following Russian airstrikes on March 16.

The building in question has been sheltering civilians ever since the Russian invasion began on February 24 and was said to be housing more than 1,200 people, many of which were children. It is thought over 1,300 are still trapped in the rubble.

As you can see, Ukraine‘s parliament tweeted an update on the situation in Mariupol which has been one of the worst-hit by shelling and invading ground forces.

The basements in question contain the bomb shelters which are thought to have withstood the initial blasts but have left those still alive trapped underneath the debris.

Russian artillery brought down a barrage on the building earlier this week, despite aerial footage revealing a large message that had been written outside the walls informing the enemy that innocent “children” were present in the building.

Russia bombs theatre sheltering children

Although rescue work is underway at the site, Ukraine’s human ombudsmen Lyudmyla Denisova said she could not give any clear indication as to the exact number still down there and how many survived the attack – as reported in Reuters.

While Russia still denies having coordinated the attack on the Ukrainian theatre, which was clearly signposted as sheltering innocent women and children, the damage is clear to see and President Vladimir Putin was officially declared a war criminal shortly after.

As of best estimates on Sunday, it was reported that at least 636 civilians have died in the conflict and thousands more injured.

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