I mentioned in a previous post how proud Mariupol was about the mosque that was built in their city. There are, of course, a few other sites that the citizens are equally proud of, or that are emblems of the city. Russians bombed two of those today.
The first was the opera house (“drama theater”). Every large-ish city has one (so far as I know), and they are usually pretty spectacular, at least from the outside. (I’ve never been in one; though I have attended a musical in Kyiv, I don’t think it was at their “official” drama theater.) Here’s a old photo I have of the Mariupol opera house:
So of course the Russians decided to drop a bomb on it. This was a gathering and shelter point for citizens during the war. The basement was being used as a bomb shelter, and apparently the rubble of the build blocked that off. I haven’t read that it’s been unblocked or how many people might have been down there. (Here’s another story on it, but no more information.)
The drama theater was the heart of downtown and the main public square for the city. The yearly holiday tree and display was there. In the winter, there was a public ice skating ring, built around a fountain that, in the summer, had light and music displays. The area around is like a big park, with trees and walkways and benches. Concessions and kids rides were set up there for most of the year. (It’s where I got yelled at by an old man asking for a handout. I didn’t understand what he was saying, but he was loud and agitated.)
The other notable location destroyed yesterday was a public swimming pool and sports complex. I hadn’t visited it, but I knew about it; I may have been by it, but I’m not sure. (There’s also a newer arena in Mariupol that I have been to.) As a larger, public building, it too was being used for as a bomb shelter. I haven’t seen any numbers about casualties.
The attack on these two places had no military value, these were just important places to the people of Mariupol. Russia is trying to wipe Mariupol off the map, destroying not only the people but their spirit as well.
I know that logical consistency is not a strong point for right-wing authoritarians, but if Putin truly believes that there is no such thing as “Ukraine” — and by extension, Ukrainians — then he is killing Russians. What sort of leader murders his own people? Tyrants and despots and pathetic, weak men.
CNN has the story too, here and here.
Wow, even more evil than you could imagine. The city had indicated that the drama theater had children inside by writing the word “children” — visible by satellite — at the front and back of the building.
