Zelensky says Mariupol ‘left in ruins’ with 100,000 still trapped in city
The city of Mariupol has been reduced to ‘ruins’ following weeks of Russian attacks.
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said there was ‘nothing left’ as he appealed to Moscow to allow the evacuation of 100,000 trapped residents.
People are without food, medicine, power or running water, all while rockets rain down on the besieged city.
Speaking after two ‘super-powerful bombs’ were dropped on Mariupol, Zelensky said: ‘There is nothing left there. Only ruins.
‘Once again it is clear that the occupiers are not interested in the city of Mariupol. They want to level it to the ground and make it the ashes of a dead land.
‘As of today, there are about 100,000 people in the city, in inhumane conditions, in a complete blockade.
‘No food, no water, no medicine. Under constant shelling, under constant bombing.’
Russia blames Ukraine for failing to establish safe passage for civilians and claims its forces are not targeting civilians.
But many people have died trying to escape what is fast becoming a lost city.
Mariia Moskalenko, 28, fled Mariupol at the beginning of March with her 16-year-old brother.
She said: ‘It’s so hard to believe this is happening… the Russians are destroying everything.
‘Before the invasion Mariupol was a very beautiful place. It’s our taxes you know, my money which I worked hard for and which was used to build those houses, those roads, those parks – and now they are all destroyed.’
Ms Moskalenko, speaking from a safe house in Ukraine, said many of her friends have remained in Mariupol to fight.
She added: ‘I know a lot of people who are still fighting on different fronts, as soldiers, territory defenders, as volunteers, journalists and so on.
‘I still don’t want to leave Ukraine because I don’t want to even believe that we will lose.
‘And I think we will keep going because we don’t want to lose our home, our community, our connection to what we have.’
Gaining total control of Mariupol would allow Russia to link areas in the east held by separatists in Crimea.
Elsewhere, Putin’s troops have prevented aid from reaching Kherson.
Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said some 300,000 people in the city are facing a ‘humanitarian catastrophe’.
Russia-Ukraine war: Everything you need to know
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the country has suffered widespread damages and loss of life amid a major bombing campaign.
Aid workers have warned that the worst hit areas could run out of food and medicine by Friday.
Millions of people have fled the country, with thousands of British people opening up their homes to Ukrainian refugees.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn’t shown any signs of calling off the attack anytime soon, with his spokesperson claiming that he is refusing to rule out using nuclear weapons.
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In some positive news, civilians in Luhansk are being evacuated today after a temporary ceasefire was agreed.
But Steve Gordon, humanitarian response adviser at international aid agency Mercy Corps, expressed concern about the remainder of Ukraine’s cities and towns without safe access routes.
He said: ‘We know that most municipalities in areas seeing the most intense fighting don’t have more than 3-4 days worth of essentials like food.
‘The reality is that right now the humanitarian system is entirely broken down.’
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