Vadym Boichenko, the mayor of the port city besieged by the Russians, said on Wednesday that the number of civilians killed due to the invasion has now crossed more than 5000. The declaration came as Ukraine gathered evidence of Russian atrocities in the outskirts of the capital city Kyiv and braced itself for what could possibly become a climactic battle for control over east Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities gathered up and identified the corpses lying around the ruined cities surrounding the capital amid tell-tale signs that Russian troops killed Ukrainians indiscriminately before retreating.
Russia pulled out its 24,000 troops from Kyiv
Furthermore, the United States of America and its allies have moved to enforce new sanctions against the Kremlin over what they have labelled war crimes.
A United States defence official, speaking anonymously, said that Russia completed pulling out all of its approximate 24,000 troops from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and Chernihiv regions in the north.
The troops retreated to Belarus or Russia, intending to resupply and reorganise themselves before returning to the fight in eastern Ukraine.
5000 civilians killed due to the invasion, says Mariupol mayor
The mayor of Mariupol, Boichenko, said nearly 210 of the 5000 civilians killed due to the Russian bombardments were children. Even hospitals were not safe from Russian shelling, as 50 people burned to death in a city hospital.
According to the mayor, more than 90% of the infrastructure in Mariupol was destroyed. Mariupol is a vital strategic city for Ukraine. The Russian attacks on the city have cut off food, water, fuel, medicine, and pulverising homes and businesses.
Defence officials in the United Kingdom say that nearly 160,000 people remain trapped in the port city. The pre-war population of Mariupol was 430,000. A humanitarian relief convoy that the Red Cross accompanies has been trying to enter the city and provide some form of relief to the civilians.
Kremlin’s goal is to liberate the Russian speaking community in Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, warned in his nightly address that the Russian military would not stop its efforts to build up its forces as it prepared for the new offensive in the east. The Kremlin has said that its goal for eastern Ukraine is to “liberate” the Donbas- the Russian speaking population in Ukraine’s industrial heartland. Zelenskyy said Ukraine, too, was preparing for battle.
Published By: JAINAM SHETH
Edited By : KRITIKA KASHYAP
