Russia refuses to stop shelling on Easter, thwarts evacuation from Mariupol

On Sunday, April 24, Russia refused to establish a ceasefire and thus thwarted the evacuation of people from Mariupol.

"We did not manage to open a humanitarian corridor. Russia did not confirm the ceasefire guarantee, so we will make another attempt tomorrow," Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk said during the nationwide telethon when asked whether people have been evacuated from Mariupol today.

On April 24, President Zelensky had a phone call with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, stressing the need to immediately evacuate civilians from Mariupol, including Azovstal steelworks, and immediately exchange blocked troops.

Mariupol experiences one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes due to Russia's aggression. The invaders bomb unarmed residents and block the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Mariupol mayor previously said that up to 20,000 civilians had died in the city since the beginning of the Russian invasion. According to the Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, 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.

About 120,000 civilians remain in blocked Mariupol.

The invaders deprive Mariupol residents of Ukrainian passports and forcibly take them to Russia and occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The Azov Regiment soldiers, Ukrainian Marines, and motorized riflemen continue to defend Mariupol.

ol