The city that smells of death: who is buying apartments in occupied Mariupol

Forwarded From DW Main

The city that smells of death: who is buying apartments in occupied Mariupol

English teacher Galina Artemova lived in Mariupol for almost 40 years, at 87 Metalurhiv Avenue, apartment 1. "It is my favorite city, my favorite place," she tells DW. In the same courtyard, photographer Yevhen Sosnovskyi lived with his wife for 20 years: "I did everything myself, the renovation, the furniture to my own design, so much was invested in it." Now they all live in Kyiv.

In occupied Mariupol, there is now a parking lot where Yevhen's house used to stand, and a new building where Galina's house used to be. The Russian developer "Su-2007" is building the "Leningradsky Kvartal" complex there, and residents have already moved into the buildings. Using the complex as an example, DW examined who is moving in. Judging by the messages, most are not locals. Along with questions about how to get furniture delivered from Russia and where to find a kitchen, many are asking which kindergarten to send their child to.

"These are Russian security officers, state employees who are being driven there by long rubles, workers in military logistics. Plus there is a small percentage of resort-seekers who want to live by the sea but cannot really afford either Crimea or Sochi," says economic commentator Vyacheslav Shiryaev.

According to UN estimates, 90% of the buildings in the city were damaged or destroyed during the fighting. The exact number of dead is unknown; media estimates put it at tens of thousands of people. Every former resident of this courtyard on Metalurhiv Avenue whom DW spoke to talks about neighbors who were killed or wounded.

More about the Russian construction in destroyed Mariupol is in DW's report.

@dwglavnoe