President Zelensky: 'My heart breaks' after Mariupol theatre bombing
March 17, 2022, 11:05 am

President Zelensky: 'My heart breaks' after Mariupol theatre bombing

President Volodymyr Zelensky: Every Russian rocket that hit our state is an answer to the old question about NATO. About whether the doors of the Alliance are actually open for Ukraine. If they were open, if it was fair, then we would not have to convince the Alliance that the sky over Ukraine needs to be closed. Cover from the death carried by the Russian air force (File photo and text: President Volodymyr Zelensky Facebook page)

The euronews reported, according to media outlets, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says "my heart breaks from what Russia is doing to our people" after Russian forces destroyed a theatre in the besieged southern city of Mariupol.

Local officials say "more than a thousand" civilians had been sheltering there since their own homes were destroyed in the ongoing fighting.

The airstrike ripped apart the center of the once-elegant building, with the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry saying many people were buried in the rubble although there is still no official casualty figure.

On Thursday morning the Russian defence ministry denied bombing the theatre or anywhere else in Mariupol. They blamed the Ukrainian far-right Azov Brigade for being behind the attack on the theatre and a swimming pool complex which was also reportedly hit.

The report mentioned that Moscow had already blamed this military unit during the bombing of the Mariupol maternity hospital last week, which sparked an international outcry.

Russian invasion of Ukraine (File photo: President Volodymyr Zelensky Facebook page)

Mariupol municipality wrote on their Telegram account on Wednesday that "the invaders destroyed the Drama Theatre. A place where more than a thousand people had taken refuge. We will never forgive this."

The account posted a picture of the theatre showing its central part completely destroyed.

The account said: "The plane dropped a bomb on the building [...]. It is impossible to establish the toll immediately because the bombing of residential areas continues."

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The entrance to the theatre is reportedly blocked by debris making it even more difficult for rescuers to get inside.

The town hall said in a press release: “It is impossible to find the words to describe the level of cynicism and cruelty with which the Russian invaders are annihilating the peaceful inhabitants” of Mariupol.

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The Maxar space technology company said that satellite imagery from Mariupol on Monday showed area of the theatre, with the word “CHILDREN” written in Russian in large, white capital letters on the pavement in front of and behind the building.

Source: euronews

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.