Historic Mariupol Theater, Sheltering Ukrainian Civilians, Hit By Air Strike

The middle part of the theater has been completely destroyed.

City officials said a bomb was dropped on the building from a Russian airplane.

The Mariupol Drama Theater on Theater Square, which dates back to 1887, as photographed by RFE/RL's Amos Chapple in early February.

"Russia purposefully destroyed the Drama Theatre, where hundreds of people are hiding," Mariupol city authorities said in a statement on Telegram on March 16.

"It is impossible to find words to describe the level of cynicism and cruelty, with which Russian invaders are destroying peaceful residents of a Ukrainian city by the sea," the official statement read.

This satellite image taken of the theater on March 14 shows the word “children” written in Russian in large white letters in front of and behind the building.