Ukraine: phosphorus bombs on steel factory after song festival victory
Ukraine says Russia has dropped phosphorus bombs at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. An adviser to the mayor of the port city says this happened after Ukraine won the Eurovision Song Contest.
“Hell has come to Earth. To Azovstal,” adviser Petro Andrushchenko wrote on a video of the attack. It also shows artillery fire, but the authenticity of the images could not be independently verified.
The use of phosphor bombs in populated areas is internationally prohibited. Andrushchenko also posted photos of the alleged phosphor bombs with Russian lyrics that seem to indicate a connection with the song contest. “Kalusha, as requested! To Azovstal”, a suspected reference to the words of the singer of the winning Kalush Orchestra, who had asked Saturday evening for help for the Russian-occupied city and the people trapped on the factory grounds.
Ukraine wants the song contest to be held in Mariupol next year. Only in the besieged steel factory do Ukrainian fighters hold out. There are said to be about a thousand more people, many of whom are injured, according to Ukraine.