“The Hope Left Us:” Russia’s Siege, Starvation, and Capture of Mariupol City

This report by international human rights foundation Global Rights Compliance publishes evidence of Russian and pro-Russian forces using starvation as a method of warfare against Ukrainian civilians during their 85-day siege of Mariupol City in the South East of Ukraine, between February and May 2022. The findings are the result of a year-long investigation by GRC, utilizing the findings by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) and Intelligence Management Services Limited (IMSL), which supported GRC as open-source consultants to investigate the siege and capture of Mariupol using their expertise and OSINT methods and tools. The investigation utilised cutting-edge open-source research, analysing over 1.5 billion square metres of satellite imagery, as well as photographs, videos, official public statements, and other digital data collected between May 2022 and February 2024. Thorough damage analysis involved the creation of a bespoke algorithm cross-referencing the damage identified by online mapping data and Weapons Ordnance Munitions and Explosives specialists, as well as Ukrainian governmental military experts.