Mariupol refuses to surrender to Russian invasion

The city, home to more than 450.000 people, has been under constant siege by the Russian army since the beginning of the month, due to its strategic location on the coast of the Sea of Azov, in the south of the Donetsk Oblast, connecting Donbas and Crimea – two regions controlled by Kremlin.

Since the start of the violent attacks, Mariupol has faced considerable destruction as well as significant loss of human lives, both soldiers and civilians.

With the evacuation efforts failing more than once due to constant Russian attacks despite agreements, residents trapped in the city’s ruins or in the underground shelters no longer have access to gas, electricity, water, food or medicine supplies, while dead bodies are rotting in the city streets in what is described to be a disturbing depiction of “hell”.

"It is impossible to find words that could describe the level of cruelty and cynicism with which the Russian occupiers are destroying the civilian population of the Ukrainian city by the sea. Women, children, and the elderly remain in the enemy's sights. These are completely unarmed peaceful people," the City Council had recently declared.

Deadly strikes were launched by the Russian military on maternities, theatres and schools across the city, with civilian victims still counted by rescuers.

According to the Ukrainian officials, the humanitarian corridors were repeatedly blocked by the Russian military forces. Several residents trying to flee the city were killed. Reports on civilians taken by force and sent to Russian camps or remote areas across Russia are currently beginning to emerge.

- more news on the situation in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol to follow -

 

Source: edition.cnn.com