FM Kuleba urges world states to assist in evacuating Mariupol residents

08.03.2022 15:58

Ukrinform

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has called on the world states to publicly demand that the aggressor country allow evacuating Mariupol residents, whom it holds hostage in the besieged city.

“Russia holds 300k civilians hostage in Mariupol, prevents humanitarian evacuation despite agreements with ICRC mediation. One child died of dehydration (!) yesterday! War crimes are part of Russia’s deliberate strategy. I urge all states to publicly demand: RUSSIA, LET PEOPLE GO!” Kuleba posted on Twitter.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk said that the Russian Defense Ministry had officially confirmed the opening of humanitarian corridors in Mariupol, but Russian troops were targeting people as soon as they came out of hiding.

On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops simultaneously crossed Ukrainian borders from the north, east, and Crimea. They are destroying cities, killing civilians, shelling and destroying key infrastructure facilities, hitting Ukrainians' homes with missiles. Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the support of all the people, courageously resist the aggression.