TheCable

Ukraine has accused Russian forces of bombing a theatre where hundreds of displaced people were sheltering in the southern port city of Mariupol.

About 1,000 civilians were reportedly hiding inside the theatre, which was designated as a shelter for the displaced, including children and elderly people.

Mariupol’s city council said in a statement on Thursday Russian forces “deliberately and cynically destroyed” the theatre.

The theatre was said to have had the Russian word for “children” marked on the ground in large letters to warn Russian jets away from the building.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraine president, in a video message on Wednesday night, condemned the attack, calling it “intentional”.

“In Mariupol, a Russian plane intentionally dropped a powerful bomb on a drama theatre in the city center. Hundreds of people were hiding there from the shelling. The building is destroyed. The number of casualties is not yet known. Our hearts are broken from what Russia does to our people,” he said.

“Russia’s war crimes continue, the Russian economy is still able to maintain the military machine. That’s why we need new sanctions against Russia. The world must finally recognize officially that Russia has become a terrorist state.”

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24 and has resulted in hundreds of casualties.