Russia has fired phosphorus bombs on the Azov steelworks in the port city of Mariupol, according to Ukrainian sources. “Hell has come to earth. To Azovstal,” Mariupol city council deputy Petro Andryushchenko wrote on Sunday in the Telegram news channel.
Such incendiary bombs are ignited by contact with oxygen and cause devastating damage. Their use is prohibited. Andryushchenko released a video with aerial photos showing a rain of fire falling on the steel mill. Artillery shelling of the industrial zone could also be seen on the initially unverifiable recordings of unclear origin.
Andryushchenko also published pictures showing inscriptions on bombs. Accordingly, the Russian military is said to have reacted to Ukraine’s victory in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). It was initially not clear where these photos came from. They are currently unavailable. The alleged bombs read in Russian: “Kalusha, as requested! Auf Azovstal” and in English “Help Mariupol – Help Azovstal right now” (in German: Help Mariupol – Help Azovstal immediately) with the date 14 May. The singer of the band Kalusha Orchestra, which won the ESC, said these words in an appeal on the stage in Turin.
Hate comments read that the phosphorus bombs were the Russian salute to the ESC victory. Russian media reported the victory on Sunday night, but unlike in previous years, state television was not allowed to show the show. Russia is excluded from the ESC because of the war of aggression against Ukraine.
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