Russia called this Sunday (03.20.2022) for Ukrainian forces to leave the city of Mariupol, in southeastern Ukraine, on Monday, before noon. “In that case, the organized departure from the city will take place as follows: from 10 to 12 o’clock all Ukrainian armed units and foreign mercenaries without weapons and ammunition (will be able to leave the town) along a route agreed with Ukraine” said Mikhail Mizintsev, head of Russia’s National Defense Control Center.
“Lower your weapons,” the colonel-general said in a report distributed by the Defense Ministry. “A terrible humanitarian catastrophe has developed” in the city, Mizintsev added. “All those who lay down their arms are guaranteed safe passage out of Mariupol.” The city has suffered one of the heaviest bombardments since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Many of its 400,000 residents remain trapped in the city with little or no food, water and electricity.
Ukraine has until 5 am Moscow time to respond to the offer on humanitarian corridors and arms deposition, he said. Mizintsev, without providing evidence, said that Ukrainian “bandits”, “neo-Nazis” and nationalists had engaged in “mass terror” and carried out a massacre in the city.
Ukraine says it is fighting for its very existence and President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday the Russian siege of Mariupol was “a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come.” The Ukrainian authorities admitted, however, that they were in a position to send reinforcements to the city.
Mizintsev claims that Russia was not using heavy weapons against Mariupol and that his country had evacuated 59,304 people from the city, but that 130,000 civilians remained de facto hostages. He said 330,686 people had been evacuated from Ukraine by Russia since the start of the “military operation”, as Russian authorities call the war.
lgc (efe/rtr)