Out of interest did a search to see how they were covering it. Three results for 'Starobilsk' (presumably the Ukrainian spelling). The headlines tell their own story:
All very keen to stress claims from Ukrainian sources that it was a genuine military target, skeptical about casualty reports, dismissive of Russian officials calling it a terrorist attack, careful to note that Russia allegedly perpetrates similar attacks on Ukraine every day etc etc.
Contrastingly a search for 'mariupol theatre' turns up 23 results with headlines like the following, all presumably given much greater prominence on the website:
'This estimate is lower than previous counts, reflecting the fact that large numbers of people had left the theatre during the two days prior to the attack, and most of those who remained were in the theatre’s basement and other areas that were protected from the full brunt of the blast.'
Though this didn't prevent the conclusion that it was 'a deliberate air strike targeted at a civilian object' and that: '“After months of rigorous investigation, analysis of satellite imagery and interviews with dozens of witnesses, we concluded that the strike was a clear war crime committed by Russian forces,” said Agnčs Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
“Many people were injured and killed in this merciless attack. Their deaths were likely caused by Russian forces deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians.
Flashback to one of my 29 examples of the beeb's failures of 'due impartiality', per Ofcom's standards in deciding to ban RT:
Reporter: ‘Well in the east of the country hundreds of miles from here rescue efforts are taking place to try to find survivors after a theater was bombed in the besieged city of Mariupol. President Vladimir Zelensky has accused Russia of deliberately dropping a bomb on the theater, that’s where hundreds of people were thought to be sheltering below in the basement. It’s understood to have withstood the blast. For its part Russia has denied carrying out the attack. Our first report in today’s program is from our Kiev correspondent, James Waterhouse.’
Reporter James Waterhouse: ‘This has been an attack on the whole of Ukraine and its very future. The way it’s resisted Russian forces is the main reason why still only one major city has fallen but the cost of that is growing and nowhere has paid a bigger price than Mariupol. The south eastern port city is the only location separating advancing Russian troops from the south and east so for the last fortnight they’ve surrounded it and bombarded it. [Pictures released by Azov Media, 10 March] People have been forced underground where supplies have been extremely limited. Here around 1200 people were sheltering in this theater. “Children” had even been written in Russian outside to warn attackers from above but they either didn’t care, didn’t believe or didn’t see. An image [of the theatre burning] to make everyone fear the worst. Then word that the basement they were in withstood the bomb blast. Casualties appear to be low.’
Dmytro Gurin, Ukrainian MP: ‘The basement wasn’t destroyed and people, more than a thousand people who were there – it’s mostly women with children – they started to went out and looks like nobody dies.’
James Waterhouse: ‘Moscow’s denied the strike, instead blaming so-called Ukrainian nationalists without offering any evidence. Russia’s also been accused of continually shelling or attacking routes where temporary ceasefires have been agreed. Humanitarian aid hasn’t been able to get in and people haven’t been able to escape.’
Vladimir Zelensky: ‘They are destroying everything round the clock and they don’t let any humanitarian cargo into our blocked city. For five days Russian troops have not stopped the shelling to prevent the rescue of our people.’
James Waterhouse: ‘In the last few days though some grains of hope. Thirty thousand have made it out, say authorities, but more than four hundred thousand are still trapped. This is the one Russian advance which hasn’t stalled. According to western officials Mariupol’s resistance is thought to be softening too. The rest of Ukraine will be watching and wondering what it means for them if this city falls. James Waterhouse, BBC news in Kiev.’
*****
For some reason the same doesn't apply to Russia's murdered youth. I wonder why?
on May 29, 2026, 7:39 pm