Mariupol mayor: “We are under siege and have been waiting for a ‘corridor’ for three days now”

Roman Kravets — Monday, 7 March 2022, 17:55

Mariupol has been besieged by Russian occupying forces for 8 days in a row. The city has no electricity, heating, water, or communications.

Source: Mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boychenko, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "The city is closed off by the Russian fascist troops. It seems to me they are using the same methods as the Nazis and Goebbels."

Details: Mariupol has been waiting for three days for a "corridor" to evacuate civilians and bring in humanitarian aid.
Boychenko complains that as soon as the city authorities try to organise an evacuation, the occupiers use it for their own purposes.

Quote: "We are gathering people in locations where we are ready to evacuate.We are ready to drive to specific points, and just then the shelling begins. The worst thing is that at this time the tactical regrouping of Russian troops is beginning so they can occupy more advantageous positions.

"For example, yesterday, when our heroes defending the city opened the corridor, and they actually opened the entrance to the city, the Russians began a tank advance on Mariupol. As a result, fighting broke out and the evacuation was cancelled."

Details: Due to the actions of Russian troops, a humanitarian convoy from Zaporizhia was also unable to enter the city.

Quote: "We need to give people a little hope now. To get deliveries of humanitarian aid. You should understand, the President of Ukraine is personally dealing with this issue. He is very worried about the community. Yesterday, he was personally involved, so that everything [humanitarian aid -ed.] would reach us. But, unfortunately, the Russian Federation is not ready to stick to the agreement for the third time in a row."

Previously, the Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, Irina Vereshchuk, had stated that the Russian army continued to fire on evacuation routes from Mariupol and Volnovakha.