On 20 March 2022, Russian Armed Forces bombed Art School No. 12 in Mariupol, where hundreds of people were taking shelter during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[1][2]
| Mariupol art school bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Siege of Mariupol during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine | |
| Location | Art School No. 12 Mariupol, Ukraine |
| Date | 20 March 2022 (UTC+3) |
| Target | Civilians using the school as an air raid shelter |
Attack type | Airstrike |
| Perpetrators |  Russian Armed Forces |
Background
On 24 February, the Russian Armed Forces, working together with pro-Russian rebels, besieged the port city of Mariupol, leading to heavy casualties as supplies such as food, gas, and electricity were cut off from the locals.[3] The deputy mayor of Mariupol, Sergiy Orlov has estimated that 80 to 90% of the city had been destroyed due to shelling. As of 20 March 2022,[update] local authorities have estimated that at least 2,300 people were killed during the siege up until the bombing.[4]
Bombing
On 20 March 2022, Ukrainian authorities announced that Russian troops had bombed an art school where about 400 people were sheltering.[4] The Mariupol City Council made the announcement through the instant messaging service Telegram, highlighting that many of those sheltering in the school were women, children and elderly. However, Petro Andryushchenko, an advisor to the Mayor of Mariupol, raised the concern that there was no exact number on how many people were using the school as a refuge.[5]