A hidden mass grave has been discovered at a cemetery in Mariupol
A new hidden mass grave has been discovered in the temporarily occupied city of Mariupol. It was found on the grounds of the Starokrymsky Cemetery. According to available information, it appeared after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Mariupol City Council reported this on Telegram and published a corresponding satellite map of the area.
“In Mariupol, researchers from the Mariupol Destruction and Victims Foundation discovered a hidden mass grave over 50 meters long. It is located at the Starokrymsky Cemetery and is estimated to have been created in 2022 during the fighting for the city,” the statement reads.
It is noted that this burial site is located in a low-lying area camouflaged by the natural terrain, approximately 3 km from residential areas and 2 km from the makeshift “morgue” on Zaporizhzhia Highway, where the bodies of the deceased were brought in 2022.
The project’s authors first noticed this site on satellite images in 2023. Initially, a small trench was visible there, which later turned into an excavation pit and eventually became a filled-in mound. According to the researchers, the length of the site increased from about 30 meters in May 2022 to 55 meters in 2024.
“This indicates a no-entry zone. In other words, no construction was taking place there. The trench was dug in early May and filled in during the summer of 2022,” the report explained.
According to Mariupol Destruction and Victims, this refers to the burial of the dead, specifically from the building at 127 Myru Avenue, which was destroyed by an airstrike. It is assumed that there may also be victims of other massive strikes, as the mound has grown over time.
According to the foundation, the occupying forces may have transported the bodies along with debris from destroyed buildings to special sites, where they were sorted before being buried.
The occupiers have established the first “Youth Army class” at a school in Mariupol.
As a reminder, Russia is building the largest military-patriotic center, “Warrior,” in Mariupol.
Also, in occupied Mariupol, tram tracks were dismantled due to a lack of electricity.
