Russians are throwing away books from the library collections of the Priazovsky State University of Mariupol — they are going to be disposed of— the Mariupol City Council

They compared the actions of Russian troops to the time of the occupation of Mariupol by the Germans during World War II. 

"The Russians turned out to be good students of them. They are guided by the principles of prohibition, destruction and reconstruction. Anything to destroy another culture and intellectual acquisition. History is repeating itself, but now the occupiers are Russians," the statement reads.