Zelenskyy says 100000 civilians trapped in Mariupol, facing ‘inhumane conditions’ amid war

As the all-out Russia-Ukraine war entered day 28, the besieged city of Mariupol has remained the worst-hit region with over 1,00,000 people living under "inhumane conditions," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday. He also accused invading Russian forces of attacking civilians stranded in the strategic port city, thus, thwarting attempts to evacuate them from heavy shelling zones. While thousands of Ukrainians have been retrieved from the hot spots, those remaining have lived without an adequate supply of basic necessities, particularly food and water.

"As of today, there are about 1,00,000 people in the city in inhuman conditions, completely blockaded, without food, without water, without medicines, subject to constant shelling, and constant bombardment," Zelenskyy said.

His statements come after invading forces demanded Ukrainian defenders to "lay down arms" in Mariupol. However, defiant to the ultimatums set by Russians, Zelenskyy has vowed to not surrender to the occupiers. Meanwhile, satellite images from Maxar Technology from March 19 showed Russian armed forces repositioned their tanks, armoured vehicles, and artillery in the "left bank" neighborhood of Mariupol, where pro-Russian invaders have captured government buildings.

[A fire burns at an apartment building after it was hit by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine. Image: AP]

Ukraine renews appeal for humanitarian aid to Mariupol

Noting the dire humanitarian crisis in the strategic port city, Zelenskyy renewed appeals for allowing aid into the city encircled by Russian forces. Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, on Tuesday, called for opening humanitarian corridors for civilians, she said while speaking to a Ukrainian television. Ever since controlling the outskirts of Mariupol, Russian occupiers have prevented attempts to send humanitarian supplies, Vereshchuk said.  

[A man walks with a bicycle in a street damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine. IMAGE: AP]

'Russian siege of Mariupol equivalent to genocide'

Situated at the shores of Sea of Azov, Mariupol has been the key target of the Russian onslaught due to its strategic significance. If seized, it would help Russia to establish a land bridge to Crimea Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. The attacks on the port city intensified since March 9, when Russia launched a strike against maternity and children's hospital, leaving 17 injured and 3 dead. Subsequently, another attack on March 13 on a drama theatre left hundreds under mounds of debris. As the war escalated into its fourth week, death in Mariupol accounted for the majority civilian casualties in Ukraine. As per reports, estimated 2,500 people have been killed in the city. Local mortuary workers dug mass graves to bury mutilated corpses lying around the city, the Associated Press had reported.  

[Russian deployed artillery seen in Talakivka, northeast of Mariupol, Ukraine; Image: AP]

Noting the detrimental situation and threat to human lives, Ukrainian top Prosecutor General Iryna Vendiktova said that Russia is committing "genocide" in Mariupol. Citing credible evidence, she added, "What I see in Mariupol, it is not about war it is about genocide. Theatres of War have some rules, some principles...(but in Mariupol) there are no rules at all."

Russia stole buses being used for rescuing people from Mariupol

Russian forces on Monday stole a convoy of 11 buses, driving towards Mariupol for evacuation of stranded civilians. The invaders commandeered the buses along with their drivers and several emergency workers to undisclosed locations, the Ukrainian government said as quoted by CNN. Vereshchuk informed that the buses were seized outside Mangush checkpoint,  about 15kms South of Mariupol.

Expressing worries over escalating violence and 4,50,000 deaths in Ukraine amid the war, Zelenskyy on Sunday stated that Mariupol is being "reduced to ashes."

(Image: AP)