Italy offers to rebuild bombed Mariupol theater

Italy has offered to rebuild the bombed theater in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. Italy’s culture minister, Dario Franceschini, wrote on Twitter that he is offering the theater’s restoration work “in the name of humanity”.

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky responded to Franceschini’s tweet with a thank you. According to Zelensky, Italy is “leading by example”. He adds that “his land will be rebuilt to the last stone”.

It is still unclear what is going on with the possibly 1,200 people who are said to have taken shelter in a basement under the theater. Mariupol’s municipal council reported on Wednesday that rescuers were still trying to get people out of the shelter. At least 130 people have been rescued, according to unconfirmed reports.

Unverified images distributed by, among others, the Ukrainian foreign minister, show that little of the theater is left.