Mariupol Cemetery Discovery and Conflicting Narratives

Local officials in Mariupol reported the discovery of a mass spontaneous burial in an old city cemetery. DEA News confirmed the report through an interview with the city’s mayor, Konstantin Ivashchenko. The mayor described a burial site consisting of two trenches containing numerous remains. He noted that the area had been held by nationalist units in the past, including the Azov regiment, and said an investigation would determine how the people died. Eyewitness accounts from Mariupol indicate that as many as 30 bodies were placed into the trenches between March and May. One resident recounted seeing a tractor dig a hole in the cemetery, described as more than 300 years old, followed by vehicles delivering and discarding items in black bags that were emptied into the trench on several occasions. The witness stated that they had observed this process three times. The matter drew attention from the Investigative Committee of Russia, which announced its intention to document the grave discovery in Mariupol. Previously, former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin on the completion of a military operation and the claimed liberation of Mariupol and the nearby Azovstal steel plant from Ukrainian forces. On February 24, Putin had announced the decision to organize a military special operation in Ukraine in response to requests for assistance from the leaders of the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. The stated aim of the operation was to protect civilians believed to have endured years of neglect and violence under Kyiv leadership. This decision contributed to new sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies against Russia. Attribution: agency reports from the region and subsequent statements by officials.