In Ukraine, in the morning of Thursday, March 17, the number of victims and survivors in the Mariupol theatre attack was unknown as Russian occupation forces continued the bombardment of the long-besieged port city. Elsewhere in the country, Ukrainian law enforcement continued to look for many pro-Russian sabotage and intelligence groups. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a swap of prisoners of war, Ukrinform and BBC report.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of intentionally bombing the Donetsk Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine. The basement of the building in the besieged city of Mariupol from 1 000 to 1 200 had been hiding from shelling.
The words «Children» were marked on the pavement outside the building in hope of warning Russian jets away from the theatre. The Russian government denies targeting civilians and says it did not launch the attack.
According to Ukrainian MP Dmytro Gurin, whose parents are trapped in the city, was interviewed by the BBC. «Minutes ago we had an information that the bomb shelter survived and people there survived. (..) We don’t know yet whether we have wounded people, or killed people. But it looks like most of them have survived and are ok.»
On March 16, Russian occupiers threw a bomb on the drama theatre in Mariupol, #Ukrainepic.twitter.com/TDx0rgXDHX
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) March 16, 2022
Search for saboteurs
Ukrainian Interior Ministry stated that Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups (SRGs) and fire spotters can be found all over Ukraine at this phase of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Internal Affairs Minister Denys Monastyrskyi, evaluated that there are no places in Ukraine at the moment, which would not have an obvious military threat. The ministry can no longer name the regions, which are free of shelling and SRGs.
«Unfortunately, this has become a common phenomenon for us. For example, in Kyiv, I receive information about the enemy SRG representatives and fire spotters detained every day. They can be also found in Lviv Region, Ivano-Frankivsk Region and Rivne Region. Today it is a problem all over the country,» the Ukrainian Interior Minister stated.
Exchange of prisoners of war
As active warfare continues in the north, east and south of Ukraine between Ukrainian Armed Forces and Russian troops, President Zelenskyy has announced a swap of prisoners of war to recover the mayor of the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol.
Watch the Ukrainian President’s latest address in Ukrainian with English subtitles: