In addition to Ukrainian soldiers, there are about a thousand civilians in the factory area. Russia has not promised to save them.
1) Ukraine demands immediate evacuation
Ukraine this morning demanded that Russia release civilians and wounded soldiers immediately from the Azovstal factory site in Mariupol. Azovstal is the last stronghold of the resistance in Mariupol.
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchukin there are about a thousand civilians and 500 wounded soldiers in the area. Vereshchuk said they must be evacuated to safety today.
The area of about 11 square kilometers is estimated to have about 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers. Both food and ammunition are running out of traps.
Ukraine demands the opening of a rescue route from the factory site. Vereshchuk appealed to world leaders to save the people trapped in Azovstal.
Volona said the troops may no longer last more than hours or days at most.
2) Putin forbade the attack and imposed a blockade from which no fly could escape
President of Russia Vladimir Putin said in the morning that it had banned its troops from attacking the Azovstal area.
Instead of attacking, Putin ordered the area to be completely besieged. According to Putin, the blockade must be so severe that not even a fly can escape.
Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigun according to the rest of Mariupol is under the control of Russian forces. Shoigu said the factory site is “blocked.”
In the past, Russia has given time limits to surrender to soldiers in the factory area, but these have not surrendered.
Russia cannot declare that it has won Mariupol as long as the resistance in the Azovstal factory area continues.
3) Zelensky’s adviser stalled negotiations in the evening
Mariupol is an important destination for Russia, because by taking over the city, Russia would gain land access to the Crimean peninsula. At the same time, it would gain control of the Azov Sea route.
Russia began bombing Mariupol on March 2, a week after it launched an attack on Ukraine.
The city had about 450,000 inhabitants. There are currently an estimated 100,000 more civilians in the midst of the devastation.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky adviser Myhailo Podoljak wrote on Twitter that evening that Ukraine is ready to negotiate the rescue of Mariupol civilians “unconditionally.”
Extensive evacuations have not been successful from Mariupol as firing has continued. Only four evacuation buses were allowed to leave the city yesterday, with the goal of getting 90 buses moving. Evacuations from Mariupol are still being attempted today.