Mariupol: A City of Ruins and Lies Under Russian Occupation
Welcome to Mariupol, a city under Russian occupation for over three years, where the truth is hidden behind facades restored only where cameras are rolling. Russian TV shows fairy tales of a shiny life, but reality is far from it. Over 90% of residential buildings are damaged or destroyed, and many people still live in half-ruined apartments where walls barely hold.
Ruins and Emptiness
Main streets may look restored, but around the corner, there are only ruins and emptiness. Places where buildings once stood are now empty lots. The rubble has been cleared, but bodies of the dead were not separated; they were loaded together with debris and taken out of the city. This is not restoration; this is hiding a tragedy.
Deadly Shortages
Water? Yes, but only one or two days a week, then three days without it. The water is so polluted it looks like Coca-Cola, and even boiling doesn’t help. Power outages are frequent, food is expensive, and basic medicines are almost unavailable. Diabetics struggle to get insulin, and prices are outrageously high.
Propaganda and Lies in Schools
Children in schools learn false information and Russian propaganda. Textbooks claim Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Odesa, Crimea, and Dnipropetrovsk regions are part of Russia. Kids are forced to participate in parades in military uniforms, celebrating Soviet traditions Ukraine is leaving behind.
Secret Resistance and the Dangers of Life Under Occupation
Still, resistance exists. Secret groups gather intelligence on Russian troop movements and try to sabotage their operations. But life is constant tension and fear. People are afraid to call friends because phones are tapped. One man was arrested for allegedly sending information to the Ukrainian army.
We Don’t Want Peace at Any Cost, We Want Liberation!
While the world talks about possible territorial concessions to Russia, Mariupol residents make it clear: giving up territory would be betrayal. Dozens risk their lives daily to send information to Ukraine. They don’t want peace at any cost; they want liberation.
If you thought the war in Ukraine was far away, think again. Mariupol is living proof that propaganda and reality can be light years apart. So, what do you think about all this? Is the world paying enough attention to these people’s suffering, or is it just another news story quickly forgotten? Drop a comment and let the voice from the ruins be heard!
