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Civilians feared trapped and killed in theater explosion in Ukraine Civilians feared trapped and killed in Mariupol theater explosion
(25 days later)
Russia says neo-Nazi “Azov” militants blew up building where they were holding hostages Russia denies responsibility, claiming neo-Nazi Azov militants blew up the building, in which it says they had been held hostage
Responding to claims by Ukraine that an airstrike destroyed a theater in Mariupol and killed civilians sheltering there, the Russian Defense Ministry said there had been no such strikes against ground targets in that city, and accused the neo-Nazi “Azov” battalion of killing its hostages. Responding to claims by Ukraine that an airstrike had destroyed a theater in Mariupol and killed civilians sheltering there, the Russian Defense Ministry has claimed there have been no such strikes against ground targets in that city. Instead, it accused Ukraine’s neo-Nazi Azov Battalion of having bombed its own civilian hostages.
The Russian military was aware of reports that “Azov” militants had kept civilians inside the theater as human shields, and did not consider the building a target for airstrikes for that reason, Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. The Russian military said it was aware of reports that Azov militants had kept civilians inside the theater as a human shield, and had not considered the building a target for airstrikes for that reason, Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.
“Previously, it was known from the refugees who got out of Mariupol that the Nazis of the Azov Battalion could hold civilians hostage in the theater building, using the upper floors as firing points,” Konashenkov said.  “Previously, it was known from the refugees who got out of Mariupol that the Nazis of the Azov Battalion might be holding civilians hostage in the theater building, using the upper floors as firing points,” Konashenkov said. 
Taking into account the potential danger to civilians, and “the provocation already carried out by the nationalists on March 9 with hospital No. 3 in Mariupol, the theater building in the city center was never considered a target for destruction,” he added. Taking into account the potential danger to those sheltering, and what he alleged was “the provocation already carried out by the nationalists on March 9 at Hospital No. 3 in Mariupol, the theater building in the city center was never considered a target for destruction,” he added.
According to Konashenkov, the “available reliable information” indicates that Azov militants committed “a new bloody provocation by blowing up the theater building they had mined.” According to Konashenkov, the “available reliable information” indicated that the Azov militants had committed what he called “a new bloody provocation by blowing up the theater building they had mined.”
The paramilitary Ukrainian unit that uses WWII Nazi symbols had made Mariupol its base, and reportedly forbid civilians from fleeing to safety as Russian forces and fighters of the Donetsk People’s Republic surrounded the city.  The paramilitary unit, the emblem of which depicts Second World War Nazi symbols, has allegedly made Mariupol its base, and reportedly forbade civilians from fleeing to safety as Russian forces and fighters from the Donetsk People’s Republic surrounded the city.