President’s Office says a solution for Mariupol is being considered but cannot be made public

Kateryna Tyschenko — Tuesday, 12 April 2022, 19:04

The President of Ukraine and the leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are looking for opportunities to help the Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol but cannot voice their plans publically.

Source: Advisor to the President’s Chief of Staff Mykhailo Podolyak on Twitter

Quote: "The President and the leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are doing everything possible (and impossible) to find a solution and help our warriors."

However, we cannot communicate our plans and actions publically, lest we give information to the enemy. We are asking for your understanding in this matter."

Details: Podolyak confirmed that the Ukrainian defenders remain blockaded in the city and to have difficulties getting supplies.

"The military and political leadership of the country are aware of the problem. They are monitoring the situation in real time, and have more information than is available from social media," he said.

Podoliak also noted that the defenders of Mariupol are making Russia "pay a heightened price."

"If the Kremlin now hates anything more than Ukraine, it is the word ‘Mariupol’". For one and half months, our defenders have been guarding the city from the Russian horde, though outnumbered ten to one. They are hanging on under the shelling and hold every metre of the city with their teeth," he added.

Background:

• Mariupol has been blockaded by Russian troops since 1 March. The siege has created a humanitarian catastrophe in the city. So far, it has been impossible to deblock Mariupol, and sending help to the defenders has become increasingly difficult.
• On 11 April, the 36th Marine Brigade, which is participating in the defence of Mariupol, published an appeal to Ukrainians in Russian. The appeal stated that 11 April may become the final battle for the defenders of Mariupol, and that the Ukrainian military leadership had not contacted them for two weeks.
• The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valeriy Zaluzhnyy assured the public that communication with the Mariupol defenders was being maintained, but also said that the details of the defence operation could not be a subject for public discussion.
• The Russian armed forces threatened to blockade the Ukrainian defenders on the territory of the Azovstal Plant in Mariupol and use chemical weapons against them.

On the evening of 11 April, it was reported by the Commander of Azov Battalion Andriy Biletskyy that the Russian occupying forces used an unidentified chemical substance against the residents and defenders of Mariupol near the Azovstal Plant.