Russian War Crimes in Mariupol. Part II

Russian War Crimes in Mariupol. Part II

Since the invasion began, approximately 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia, including children from Mariupol. At a propaganda concert in Moscow on February 22, 2023, two kidnapped Ukrainian children, siblings Anna and Karolina Naumenko, whose mother was killed during the city’s occupation, were paraded publicly. Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova adopted a kidnapped 15-year-old from occupied Mariupol. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has recognized these deportations as genocide.

Civilian Executions

Evidence indicates Russian troops have executed unarmed Ukrainian civilians in their homes and streets, committing acts of extraordinary cruelty. Mass graves are proliferating in Mariupol; the city’s northwest contains large burial fields reportedly containing thousands of bodies. Satellite imagery analysis for the BBC estimates over 4,600 graves have been dug since the war began.

Filtration Camps

Russian forces established filtration camps following the invasion, operating registration points, holding camps, interrogation centers, and prisons. Detainees experience torture, murder, sexual violence, starvation, and other grave human rights violations. At least 21 filtration-related facilities have been identified across Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, including four in Mariupol, holding over 10,000 civilians.

Azov Brigade

The safety of Azov Brigade prisoners of war remains a significant global concern. Members of the Russian State Duma repeatedly called for executing Azov fighters, who Russia holds as prisoners. On July 29, 2022, the Russian Embassy in the UK publicly advocated humiliating executions of Azov members. Approximately 2,500 defenders from Azovstal are estimated to be held captive.

Vandalism and Looting

Russian aggression targeted Ukraine’s cultural heritage alongside its citizens and infrastructure. Systematic destruction of monuments, educational and cultural institutions, and looting of museums and religious sites are widespread. Russian forces looted or destroyed local museums, resulting in the loss of 50,000 cultural heritage items. Almost 2,000 artworks, including pieces by Kuindzhi and Aivazovsky, were stolen from Mariupol’s Kuindzhi Art Museum.