The Mariupol Computer Museum in Ukraine has reportedly been destroyed, as the city continues to be the target for heavy Russian bombing.
On Facebook (via Kotaku), the museum’s owner, Dmitry Cherepanov, confirmed that “the Mariupol computer museum is no longer there”.
“All that is left from my collection that I have been collecting for 15 years is just a fragments of memories on the FB page, website and radio station of the museum,” shared Cherepanov, who added that “There is neither my museum nor my house and it hurts, but I will definitely survive it and find a new home!”
The museum was home to computers and technology gathered since 1950, and offered visitors a look at what technology was available to those growing up in the Soviet Union.
It’s just one of many buildings devastated by Russia’s assault on the city of Mariupol. The city has been shelled by Russian forces for three weeks, and Ukrainian officials estimate that around 90 per cent of buildings in Mariupol have been “damaged or destroyed” (via Sky).
Over 140,000 civilians have been forced to flee the besieged city, however Mariupol’s city council claims that there are still 170,000 more people trapped within (via BBC). Efforts to evacuate civilians has been complicated by continued shelling along evacuation routes, while Russia has reportedly been “forcibly” moving residents to Russian-held territory.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted reactions from companies across the games industry, and has affected several developers based in Ukraine. Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World has reportedly moved staff to the Czech Republic, weeks after stating that development on Stalker 2 would be “shifted to the sidelines” due to the conflict.
Similarly, Kyiv-based studio Frogwares has recently explained how it’s continuing development during the invasion.
