Russian Occupation Transforms Mariupol, Creating a City of Death and Displacement
After eight months of Russian occupation, the city of Mariupol in Ukraine has undergone a drastic transformation. The Russian regime is systematically eradicating all traces of Ukrainian culture, rebuilding the city in its own image. However, behind the facade of progress lies a city scarred by death and deceit.
Russian workers can be seen tearing down the remnants of bombed-out buildings at an alarming rate. With each demolition, shattered bodies are hauled away, removing evidence of possible war crimes. The city’s schools now teach a Russian curriculum, phone and television networks have been replaced by Russian counterparts, and even the Ukrainian currency is fading away. To further assert control, Mariupol has been forced into the Moscow time zone.
This transformation is taking place on the ruins of a city that witnessed immense suffering. The Associated Press (AP) conducted an investigation into the occupied Mariupol, revealing a city plagued by death and displacement. Over 10,000 new graves have been identified, suggesting a death toll far higher than the initial estimates of 25,000. Additionally, the city has lost more than 50,000 homes.
The devastation caused by the invasion is deeply ingrained in the hearts of the city’s residents. Every person interviewed by the AP had lost someone they knew during the siege. The morgue in Mariupol receives up to 30 visitors a day, all hoping to find information about their missing loved ones.
Lydya Erashova’s heartbreaking story exemplifies the city’s harrowing reality. She witnessed the death of her 5-year-old son and 7-year-old niece due to Russian shelling in March. Fleeing Mariupol, they hastily buried their young cousins in a yard. When they returned months later to rebury them in a proper cemetery, they discovered that the bodies had been dug up and relocated to a warehouse. As they walked through the city center, they were met with desolation and despair.
The AP’s investigation relied on interviews with 30 Mariupol residents, satellite imagery, videos, and Russian documents outlining a master plan. Mariupol, strategically located near the Russian border, suffered relentless airstrikes and artillery attacks. The evidence gathered from satellite imagery indicates the presence of over 8,500 new graves in Staryi Krym cemetery alone, possibly holding multiple bodies each. Additional trench grave sites were also found.
The destruction caused by the invasion extends beyond the loss of lives. Hundreds of buildings, including multistory apartment blocks, are being demolished or slated for demolition. The Associated Press estimates that over 50,000 homes will be destroyed in the process.
Russian authorities have begun constructing a new Mariupol according to their own vision. The memorial to famine victims and murals commemorating Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression have been removed or painted over. At the same time, new apartment buildings are being constructed, though their purpose and occupancy remain unclear.
The Russian occupation aims to reshape Mariupol’s future with a projected population of 212,000 by 2022, eventually growing to 425,000 by 2030. However, the pre-war population of approximately 425,000 has dwindled to just over a quarter. Many former residents were forced to relocate to Russia, while others sought refuge in different regions of Ukraine.
Mariupol now exists in a liminal state, torn between its Ukrainian past and a Russian-controlled future. Some remaining residents have even applied for Russian citizenship in an attempt to adapt to the changing circumstances. Yet, acts of defiance, such as graffiti featuring the Ukrainian letter ï, symbolize the lingering resistance in the face of fear.
While the city may undergo physical reconstruction, the scars of war and loss will forever mark Mariupol. The memories of lives lost and the pain endured cannot be erased. Whether Mariupol can ever be restored to its former self, with its vibrant Ukrainian identity intact, remains a question lingering amidst the city’s shattered streets and broken structures.
Inna Nepomnyshaya, a former resident of Mariupol, still remembers the smell of freshly baked bread in her home before the invasion. However, as the conflict persists, her dream of returning may remain just a memory.
