A hidden mass grave has been discovered at the Starokrymsky Cemetery in Mariupol
In the temporarily occupied city of Mariupol, researchers from the Mariupol Destruction and Victims Foundation have discovered a hidden mass grave on the grounds of the Starokrymsky Cemetery. They estimate that it was created in 2022 during the fighting in the city.
According to the report, the grave extends over 50 metres. It is situated in a depression concealed by the natural terrain, approximately 3 km from residential areas and 2 km from the makeshift morgue on Zaporizhzhia Highway, where the bodies of the deceased were taken in 2022.
Researchers first identified this site on satellite imagery in 2023. Initially, a small ditch was visible there, which later turned into an excavation pit and subsequently into a backfilled mound. According to their data, the length of the site increased from around 30 metres in May 2022 to 55 metres in 2024.
“This indicates a no-entry zone. In other words, no construction work was taking place there. The trench was dug in early May and filled in during the summer of 2022,” the researchers noted.
According to Mariupol Destruction and Victims, the deceased may be buried in this area, including those from the building at 127 Myru Avenue, which was destroyed by an airstrike. It is also suggested that victims of other massive strikes may be there, as the mound has grown over time.
According to the foundation, the occupying forces may have transported bodies, along with debris from destroyed buildings, to special sites where they were sorted before being buried.
