Russia continued shelling Mariupol on Easter, thwarted civilian evacuation: Ukraine Dy PM

As orthodox Christians across the world gathered to celebrate Easter, Russian troops continued to bombard Ukrainian cities, the country's Deputy Prime Minister said. As a result, no humanitarian corridors were opened on Sunday. "We did not manage to open a humanitarian corridor. Russia did not confirm the ceasefire guarantee, so we will make another attempt tomorrow," Deputy PM and Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk said during the nationwide telethon when asked whether people have been evacuated from Mariupol.

The ancient port city has gone from being Ukraine’s largest outlet on the sea of Azov to Russia’s most desperate win. While the crisis is only exacerbating, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenksyy is using his last remaining pocket of resistance to battle the ‘invaders’. On Sunday, he discussed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, plans to evacuate people trapped at the Azovstal Steel Plant as a potential troop exchange. 

Meanwhile, the Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said that 13 Russian mobile crematoriums operate in Mariupol to clear the streets of the bodies of dead civilians. The invaders try to identify and kill all potential witnesses to the atrocities, they claimed. Previously, the Mayor of the city said that Putin's troops were using mobile crematoriums to hide their war crimes in the city. At least, 120,000 civilians still remain in blocked Mariupol.

What is happening in Ukraine?

This comes as the Russo-Ukrainian war continued for Day 60 on Sunday. While Kremlin's soldiers continued to shell Ukrainian towns and cities, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the evacuation of Mariupol residents with Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan. It is believed that almost 2,000 Ukrainian are holed up in the Azovstal Steel plant in the port city. Meanwhile, UN chief António Guterres has said that he will meet the leaders of both the warring sides. 

It has been 60 days since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he said was a “special military operation to denazify” Ukraine. The war that followed, has now left thousands dead, cities pulverized and turned the ex-soviet state into a macabre trap. The gruesome conflict has not only affected Ukraine, which was once the world’s third-largest nuclear power, but also neighbouring countries. As the war continues, Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan has offered to mediate between Putin and Zelenskyy in a bid to end the war. 

(Image: AP)