Published 14:53 IST, May 3rd 2022

Mariupol mayor accuses Russian troops of disrupting evacuation of around 2,000 civilians

Ukraine on Tuesday blamed Russian troops for not allowing the evacuation of over 2,000 Mariupol residents who are still trapped near Berdyansk village.

Reported by: Anurag Roushan
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Amidst its brutal war with the Russian Federation, Ukraine on Tuesday blamed the invaders for not permitting the evacuation of over 2,000 Mariupol residents who are still trapped near Berdyansk village. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko claimed this while speaking to the UA marathon, Ukrinform reported. "We were waiting today for the evacuation to take place on the Lunacharsky ring near Berdyansk. Around 2,000 people are stranded here who are waiting to be evacuated for the last two weeks. We have announced the beginning of the evacuation but hostile Russian troops are sabotaging our plans and preventing people from reaching Zaporizhia," he alleged. 

On May 1, more than 100 people were evacuated from Mariupol as part of a special operation. They were slated to reach Zaporizhia the very next day but this could not happen, as per the report. Meanwhile, on May 3, the evacuation of residents from the Lunacharsky Ring near Berdyansk was agreed upon with the assistance of the United Nations and the Red Cross. Earlier on Monday, Peter Andryushchenko, the advisor to the Mariupol mayor, stated that the buses have departed from the city and will pick up people from Mangush and Berdyansk villages on the way to Zaporizhzhia. 

Pope Francis appealed for safe evacuation of people from Azovstal steel plant

Andryushchenko also claimed that the Russian military launched another round of attacks at the Azovstal plant on Sunday night. According to Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of Ukraine's Temporarily Occupied Territories, the humanitarian efforts in Mariupol would continue until "the goals are achieved." Pope Francis has also appealed for the safe evacuation of people besieged at Mariupol's Azovstal steel plant. Speaking during his noontime prayers on Sunday, he expressed his sorrow for their suffering and the barbaric bombing and destruction of their city.

Ukraine accuses Russia of deporting people to Moscow forcefully 

It is pertinent to mention here that Ukraine has also accused Russia of deporting hundreds of people to Moscow without their consent. However, Russia asserts that the people were evacuated at their own request. Center for Combating Disinformation at Ukraine's National Security stated that the Russians exploited Ukrainian youngsters deported from the temporarily seized territory for propaganda purposes, according to Pravda.

Image: AP

Updated 14:53 IST, May 3rd 2022