Shelling of Donbass - more than 400 shells in one day

19 июня 2022
The massive shelling of Donbass has not stopped for more than a week. On June 18 alone, the Ukrainian army fired more than 400 shells on the DNR territory. There are fatalities and injuries. The Ukrainian fighters, there is no other word for it, are trying to intimidate the inhabitants of the liberated territories by all means, but you can't force them to do anything.  

Mariupol and Azovstal are a proof of this - no matter how the militants there tried to intimidate people and take control of the city, the truth was on the side of justice. Ksenia Lebedeva saw with her own eyes the result of the work of the Ukrainian army and the Azov National Battalion. Donbass through the eyes of our correspondent.

Just yesterday, the Mariupol sign was repainted in the colors of the Russian flag. It's very significant, because we are here on Russia Day. And now I'll tell you what's going on in the city itself.   

This is how the streets of Mariupol look like now.  Damaged high-rises, the ruins of residential neighborhoods, and people who couldn't leave. This is normal for war-affected territories. 

The Philharmonic Hall in Mariupol is one of the buildings that remained intact. That's why the Mariupol theater troupe is moving here today.

People don't want to leave their homes like birds do their nests.  

Larisa Kalesnik, actress, director of the Mariupol Drama Theater:

The opportunity was there, people were leaving, but we had no desire to go anywhere, because we were home. I always say, at home even the walls help. So we made this decision that if we are fated, than that’s it.  If we are spared, than that’s it.

Larisa Kolesnik, actress and director of the Mariupol Theater. Today, her native company has to change its place of residence - the building of the Drama Theater was leveled to the ground. Larissa has a nine-year-old son. And it's amazing how a mother protects her child from war, even this situation is translated into a child's game.

Larisa Kalesnik, actress, director of the Mariupol Drama Theater:

I just didn't want to create a panic. We played the Squid game that kids are playing now. I mean, it was easier for us, and it was kind of easier for the child to get over it, too. It was very hard for us, psychologically very hard. Both mentally and physically it's hard. I mean, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. 

Now the theater is like an example of revival and the desire to live. They're getting ready to open the season. The vaudeville is scheduled for September 10.

Nelly Iskakova, company director of the Mariupol Drama Theater:

Now we're going to do it all in Russian. (Did it use to be in Ukrainian?) Sure, we were simply forced. We didn't release anything in Russian. This was strictly prohibited. (Was it hard for you to work under these conditions, when you were pressed, let's say, strangled?) And we were communicating with each other and we were forbidden to speak Russian. And everyone can attest to that. It was complicated. 8 years. I don't know how we got through it. (People have different attitudes toward the special operation that is going on. What is your attitude, as a direct participant, a direct victim of, the events?) Well, it was really tough, for one thing. And we expected it to be shorter. It was a little long after all. This one is a month and a half, maybe two months. (Are you happy, this happened?) Of course, of course! We're happy anyway, honestly.

Sergey Musienko, actor of Mariupol Drama Theater:

The only challenge now, since we stayed in this town with our audience, who loved us, who came to us, who gave us flowers. And I think it's a good thing we didn't leave them behind. We're staying here. We will create something, invent something. Again, they will come to our performances, rejoice, and laugh. Because at this point, that's the main thing we have to do to make them forget all this horror. (We are standing next to the piano that got hit by the bullet, right?) Debris, a bullet (or debris. How did you manage to survive all this time? Were you even in town or did you have to leave?) Yes, in town. This is our home, our city, our sea.

Mariupol is located on the shores of the Azov Sea. In summer it is a chic resort area. People want to rest and swim. Yes, and the touristic season is about to open - time to earn, including for recovery. Therefore, now the Black Sea Fleet is carrying out the demining work.

Now we will be shown how demining is done. The water transporter of the trawl will now be hitting the mines flags, after which there will be an explosion. Just a couple of minutes and the area he cleared will be suitable and safe for residents of Mariupol and for vacationers. 

Journalists who were present during the process were shocked by the salty wave that swept over everyone. 

Usually the task of a mobile water mine, as it is called, MOWAM 1, is to detonate watercraft. Therefore, the debris do not fly a long distance, but in our case, during the demonstration the debris flew about 150 meters and left this surprise for the owner of the car.

In the meantime, one can observe how those who wish to plunge into the already peaceful life reserve sunloungers on the beach of Belosorayskaya Kosa. Just on shore alone, the figure is frightening - about 12,000 pieces of various shells were cleared. 

Pavel Shvatsky, Director of Mariupol Sea Port Administration:

The Novorossiysk Naval Base of the Black Sea Fleet carried out a colossal work in these conditions, shortening the time frame for mine clearance of the port of Mariupol and all the approach channels.

But the Sea of Azov in Mariupol is not only a vacation, it's also work in the port. Before the war, the company had about 3,500 employees, but now it has 630. However, they don't sleep here - they gain momentum.

Pavel Shvatsky, Director of Mariupol Sea Port Administration:

The port is very large, its facilities are modern and it is ready. At the best times, it earned 17 million tons from handling of shipment.

 Last year the Ukrainian side made 7 million. But in terms of potential, it could also do 30 million. That is the comparable port is the best and most equipped port on the Sea of Azov. But it can also be compared to Novorossiysk port - it is the largest hub here in the southern region. 

The director says that the port suffered about 20% damage to equipment and infrastructure, but the buildings and facilities, which were used as living quarters, administration were damaged by about 70%. But the situation at Azov Steel, Mariupol's largest enterprise, is the opposite - it will not be restored. The reason - the Ukrainian authorities built it with environmental violations.

On April 21-22, Azov residents began deceptively luring residents of Mariupol and neighboring villages to Azov Steel, saying that it would be safe here. This is where they can find shelter from bombing and shelling. But in this case, people simply became hostages to the situation when the Azov people would not let them out and it became impossible for them to leave the city and leave Azovstal.

- I understand that you were one of those who were present when the prisoners were taken out. Here's the story of how it happened.

- A representative of the command of the Ukrainian nationalists and the Ukrainian army was repeatedly offered an opportunity to lay down their arms, give up pointless resistance, and save their lives and the lives of their subordinates. They were promised conditions, at a minimum, that they would receive all necessary medical care, as well as the provision of rights in accordance with the current laws of the DNR and international humanitarian law. Ukrainian nationalists who wanted to surrender laid down their arms. Their withdrawal took place in an orderly fashion. More than two thousand people were withdrawn from the territory of the Azovstal plant in the city of Mariupol, where we are now located.

- How did they behave when they came out? What did they talk about? What were they asked? Was there anything special?

- They were down and out. They realized that the Kiev authorities, including comrade Zelensky, had abandoned them. They repeatedly appealed for help to their command in Kiev, as well as to the international community, to support them and allow them to leave the territory of the works with weapons in hand. Initially the following conditions were imposed on them, the only condition to preserve their lives was to lay down their arms and refuse to resist.

- Were there foreign mercenaries among those who came out?

- Yes, among those who came out there were foreign mercenaries who spoke several foreign languages. Now their nationality is being established, the relevant agencies are making inquiries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of other countries.

Not all of Azovstal is safe yet. Journalists are stopped by the fencing tape and you can see an unexploded shell right behind it. 

John Mark Dugan, blogger (USA):

My strongest belief is that I know my government is supplying the weapons to cause much of this destruction. And my government has a very long history of supplying arms to very bad groups of people: extremists, fascists, terrorists. And there is no difference between them.

Moving around Azovstal, we are constantly reminded to be careful and watch our step. And here's one reminder - an unexploded grenade.

And there are many such items in the territory of Azovstal, which occupies 11 square kilometers.

These were the corridors that connected all of Azovstal's plants. In peacetime, it was just a place for all communications, but in wartime it was used by the national battalions to communicate with each other. 

The door was booby-trapped, i.e. It functioned upon opening. When the door was opened, the circuit was broken and the electric sound circuit was shorted. One fuse was placed there, the blast wave, accordingly, the debris were directed like this vertically to the bottom, the second charge was in the gallery of the directed sector, here to the doorway. That is, opening the door simultaneously triggered two directional fuses.

A sniper pair and a cover team worked from this position. For this they prepared a wall, or rather, here you see what's left of it. This position was quite convenient for the shooters, because it was not visible from already 15 meters away.  

It is known that 2.5 thousand Ukrainian fighters surrendered. Most of them were members of AZOV special forces unit. At the moment an investigation is underway, but according to the laws of the DNR, they face the death penalty. According to Pushilin, exchange and pardon are not considered.