A year ago, Russia dropped a powerful bomb on a drama theater in Mariupol: Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored the memory of the victims

On March 16, 2022, the Russian occupation forces dropped a powerful bomb on a Drama Theater in Mariupol, which served as a shelter for hundreds of people. On the anniversary of the tragedy, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored the memory of the victims and assured that Kyiv continues to work to punish war criminals.

On his Telegram channel, Zelenskyy posted a video of the bombing of the drama theater. He emphasized that the occupiers had purposefully dropped a shell on the building, next to which was a large inscription "Children" (the video is posted at the bottom of the news).

According to the President, Kyiv is moving "step by step" to ensure full responsibility of the terrorist state for crimes against Ukraine.

"We will not forgive a single life ruined by the occupiers. We remember all those whose lives were taken by Russian terror," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

What is known about the bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theater

Around 2:30 p.m. on March 16, 2022, a Russian bomber dropped a high-powered bomb on the Mariupol Drama Theater. It landed in a place where children and women were hiding from shelling.

On both sides of the building, on the pavement, in huge letters was written: "Children."

The Mariupol City Council reported about 300 dead, while people's deputy Serhii Taruta suggested that up to 1,000 people had died.

According to an Associated Press investigation, the airstrike killed about 600 people in the Drama Theater. The investigation was based on the testimony of 23 survivors, as well as rescuers and people with knowledge of the shelter.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported:

• In December 2022, the occupiers demolished the Drama Theater in Mariupol. Only the front wall remaines of the building.
• The footage of what Mariupol, destroyed by the Russian occupiers, looks like from above appeared online. A new video from the occupied city shows continuous rows of high-rise buildings-ghosts.
• In May, after the rubble of the Mariupol Drama Theater was cleared, the occupiers organized a tour inside the building. They also held a "volunteer rally" with red flags through the captured city.

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