Hidden mass grave has been discovered in Mariupol: new details about victims from 2022
A hidden mass grave, which was created during the active phase of fighting in 2022, has been discovered in the temporarily occupied Mariupol.
This is reported by "Free Radio," citing researchers from the Mariupol Destruction and Victims project, according to Censor.NET.
Where exactly was the burial site found?
The mass grave is located on the grounds of the Starokrymskyi Cemetery. According to researchers, it is situated approximately 3 kilometers from residential areas and 2 kilometers from the so-called "morgue" on Zaporizhzhia Highway, where Russian troops transported the bodies of the deceased in 2022.
The area is effectively isolated—there are no trails, and it is overgrown with grass, making it difficult to locate.
How it was discovered
Serhii, a resident of Mariupol who analyzes satellite imagery, first noticed this location in 2023 after the maps were updated.
At first, he thought it might be an excavation or a trench, but it later turned out to be a camouflaged burial site.
"In fact, it's just a field, and it could soon become part of a cemetery, which would complete the camouflage. Construction debris or other rubbish is used to camouflage a freshly dug grave until other cover appears—for example, when the grass grows," the researcher explained.
Where could the bodies have come from?
According to the researcher, some of the victims may be linked to the airstrike on the high-rise building at 127 Myru Avenue.
After the attack, Russian troops removed the bodies of the dead along with the building debris.
"There were a great many victims; the exact number is unknown, but the names of 45 of the deceased have been confirmed. However, the bodies were being removed for half a month—from May 9 to May 25. There are witnesses who described seeing bones sticking out of the excavator's bucket," Sergey said.
According to him, the bodies were effectively removed along with construction debris and may have been buried without being identified.
The number of burials continues to rise
Researchers have also noted that the burial site is expanding over time. While the trench was approximately 30 meters long in May 2022, by August 2024 the mound at this location had already reached 55 meters.
This may indicate that the dead continued to be buried in this area, including those who had died in other parts of the city.
