Putin denies hostilities and is opaque on Mariupol: "Situation is difficult, but simple"

Alyona Mazurenko – Tuesday, 26 April 2022, 20:45

President Vladimir Putin of Russia denied the existence of hostilities in Mariupol during his meeting with Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres. He called the situation in the city at once "difficult and tragic" and "simple."

Source: Video recording of Putin’s meeting with Guterres

According to Putin: "Regarding Mariupol. The situation there is difficult and, possibly, tragic, but at its core it’s simple.

I talked to President Erdogan [of Turkey]. He said that there are hostilities there [in Mariupol], but there are no hostilities there, they are over."