Voices of Mariupol — a film by the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group
In the early morning hours of February 24, 2022, Mariupol was attacked from the territory of the Russian Federation.
The first explosions occurred on the city’s Left Bank. Until March 1, the eastern districts of the city, geographically closer to the border with Russia, were under fire. By March 2, 2022, Russian troops had surrounded Mariupol from the west, north, and east, and were blockading the city in the south, from the Sea of Azov, with boats. Since March 2, there has been no water, electricity, gas, heating, or mobile communications. Since then, the city has been under a barrage of attacks by Russian cannon and rocket artillery and aircraft, which were carried out by Russian troops in all districts of the city.
In addition to residential buildings with civilians, Russian troops systematically destroyed all infrastructure critical to the city`s survival, including food stores, hospitals, emergency service buildings, and others. The dense and systematic shelling of the city made it impossible for people to evacuate towards Ukraine. Many people who risked leaving on their own were shelled.
In some cases, residents of Mariupol left the city towards the government-controlled area on foot. Many people were forced to evacuate towards the so-called DPR and RF. All of them were forced to undergo filtration, the purpose of which was to let only Ukrainians loyal to the Russian Federation through. They were checked for civil service, military service, other activities in favor of Ukraine, the contents of mobile phones, and tattoos on their bodies.
The bombing of residential buildings, hospitals, a drama theater, a swimming pool, and schools where people were hiding from the shelling resulted in the deaths of a large number of Mariupol residents. Many were killed by sniper bullets. According to various official sources, the number of civilians killed in the city is 87,000.
Due to the blockade, food, water and medicines were not delivered to the city. Residents of Mariupol were forced to collect rainwater to drink, drain water from heating systems, cook food on street fires, and bury the dead in mass graves in their yards.
From the end of April until the end of the siege, Russian troops subjected the territory of the Azovstal plant, where the Azov regiment, marines, and civilians were stationed, to devastating attacks. The city became fully occupied on May 20, 2022, after the complete evacuation of everyone on the plant’s territory.
“We have to win this war. We have this opportunity if Ukrainians believe in their strength on their land, which cannot be given to the enemy without a fight.”
Bohdan Krotevych (Tavr)
Individual stories of our heroes can be read via the following links: