Videos posted to social media on Wednesday show that the Drama Theater of Mariupol, where civilians were seen sheltering in recent days, had been largely destroyed. Walls on two sides of the building, and large parts of the roof, had collapsed.
About 1,000 people had been inside but it was not immediately clear how many had survived, said Pyotr Andryuschenko, an assistant to the mayor.
Mr. Andryuschenko said that people were sheltering in all parts of the theater, including the basement and the ground floor. “This is an inhuman crime,” he said.
The city administration said on Telegram that hundreds of people were hiding at the site, and that it was “impossible to estimate the scale” of the strike. “Information about the victims is being clarified,” it said.
Mr. Kyrylenko blamed a Russian airstrike for the destruction. Russia’s Defense Ministry denied carrying out the attack. Read more