Mariupol art school sheltering 400 civilians bombed, Ukrainian officials say
Civilians trapped in Mariupol under Russian attacks are evacuated in groups under the control of pro-Russian separatists, through other cities on March 20. Photo: Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Russian forces have bombed an art school in Mariupol that was sheltering around 400 civilians, Ukrainian officials said Sunday, according to the Associated Press.
Why it matters: This is the second time this week that Russian forces have targeted a building sheltering civilians in the city, following the earlier bombing of a theater where hundreds of Ukrainians had sought refuge.
The big picture: In messages posted to Telegram on Sunday, the Mariupol City Council said that an art school in the port city's Left Bank district that had been sheltering the civilians — "women, children and the elderly" — had been bombed.
- The message did not give an indication of the number of casualties, though it warned that there may still be people trapped under the rubble.
- In an address over the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the siege of Mariupol is "a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come," AP reported.
- Conditions in the city have been deteriorating, with food scarce, many without heat, water or electricity and residents burying their dead in a mass grave.