Satellite images show fires, severe damage to residential buildings in Mariupol

March 12 (Reuters) – Satellite images taken on Saturday morning showed extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and residential buildings throughout the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, a private U.S. company said.

Maxar Technologies MAXR.N said fires were seen in the western section of the Black Sea port city and dozens of high-rise apartment buildings had been severely damaged. Reuters could not independently verify the images.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Saturday that Mariupol was besieged by Russian forces that have invaded his country but was still under Ukrainian control. 

At least 1,582 civilians in Mariupol have been killed as a result of Russian shelling and a 12-day blockade, the city council said on Friday. It was not immediately possible for Reuters to verify the casualty figures. 

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Reuters

Photo A handout multispectral satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies shows fires in the industrial area, Primorskyi district of Mariupol, Ukraine, 12 March 2022. EPA-EFE/MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES HANDOUT — MANDATORY CREDIT: SATELLITE IMAGE 2022 MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES