About 600 people died as a result of a Russian strike on the drama theater in Mariupol on March 16. That's nearly double what was previously thought, AP investigation says. At the same time, survivors of the attack say that there could be even more dead..

Based on the stories of 23 survivors, as well as rescuers, the journalists said they reproduced a picture of what happened that day inside the theater. They also developed a 3D model of the drama theater building plan and, with the help of experts, came to the conclusion that there were many more people in the building at the time of the airstrike than previously thought..

“All witnesses said there were at least 100 people in the field kitchen and no one survived.. They also said that the rooms and corridors inside the building were overcrowded, about one person for every 3 square meters of free space,"

According to survivors, there were about 1,000 people inside at the time of the airstrike, but more than 200 of them definitely survived..

The first to hide in the drama theater were its employees and their families.. The city soon ordered the entire building to be opened as a bomb shelter, given its size, strong walls and large basement.. About 600 people came there on the first day alone..

Subsequently, people were already everywhere - in the corridors, dressing rooms, the auditorium.

“Until March 15, about 1,200 people sleeping in offices, corridors, balconies, basements squeezed into the building.. They sat in the auditorium on once plush seats, the stuffing of which was used to kindle a fire, ”say eyewitnesses of the tragedy..

The air strike on the Mariupol Drama Theater took place on March 16 at about 10 am right on the stage and the field kitchen. About 300 people were thought to have died as a result..