It will most likely take many years to identify all those civilians who died during Russia’s assault on Mariupol – and we may never have a full account. Many were killed during attacks or as a result of injuries for which they were unable to get treatment. Others died in the weeks and months following Russia’s siege of the city because they did not have access to clean water or medicine.
During the first half of March 2022, Mariupol residents buried the bodies of their loved ones, neighbors, and strangers in shallow makeshift graves in their backyards, the courtyards of apartment blocks, and in grassy areas where children used to play. Given the ongoing fighting and bombardment of the city, many were unable to bring bodies to hospitals, morgues, or cemeteries, and city officials only managed to promptly collect a fraction of the bodies.
The remains of some victims were likely mixed in with the rubble of damaged and destroyed buildings, never to be identified before demolition and reconstruction efforts began. Still others may have been buried outside of Mariupol. Some of those buried in makeshift graves were later transferred to official cemeteries in and around the city.