Mariupol city councilor says fate of hundreds in theater struck by Russia still unkown

The fate of hundreds of civilians who took refuge in a theater hit by Russian bombardment in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol is still unknown because of poor communications, a city councillor says.

The theater, believed to be harboring more than a thousand people, was destroyed in an attack on March 16. Ukraine has claimed that Russia knew civilians were sheltering in the building.

City councilor Kateryna Sukhomlynova tells AFP that the lack of communications and the absence of local authorities in the southeastern city makes it almost impossible to find out the civilians’ fate.

“There are no communications with Mariupol. There is sometimes network availability in some locations, it’s difficult to pick up. And any manipulation with a telephone is dangerous, it can be considered suspect by both sides. You can’t photograph anything,” she says.

But Sukhomlynova, who fled Mariupol on the same day as the strike, also says the city could have been better prepared for the war.

She is speaking via telephone from Ivano-Frankivsk, western Ukraine, where she has sought refuge with her daughter and two nieces.

Mariupol city hall says it fears 300 were killed in the theater, citing witnesses.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 130 people had been saved, but did not speculate on the number of civilians killed.