UN reports next phase of evacuation of civilians from Mariupol completed

UN, May 8 – RIA Novosti. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Osnat Lubrani said in a statement that the next phase of the evacuation of civilians from Azovstal and other parts of Mariupol has been completed, more than 170 people have been evacuated.

“Today, the next phase of the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal metallurgical plant and other areas around Mariupol has been successfully completed. I confirm with great relief that over 10 weeks more than 170 people have been subjected to intense bombardment … He can take a break in Zaporozhye, where he will provide.” Said.

In total, according to him, more than 600 people were evacuated from the Mariupol region.

At the time of the declaration of the DPR in 2014, Mariupol, with a population of about 450 thousand, was the second city of the republic after Donetsk, but in June of the same year, Ukrainian security forces regained control of Mariupol. On March 7, 12 days after the start of Russia’s special operation to demilitarize Ukraine, the deputy commander of the Vostok battalion, Alexander Semyonov, announced that the city was besieged and the cleaning of its individual areas had begun.

On April 16, Igor Konashenkov, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, announced that the entire city’s territory was cleared of the Ukrainian army, foreign mercenaries and neo-Nazis from the Azov Regiment (a criminal case was opened against their militants). Russia). The remains of the Ukrainian group were blocked at the Azovstal metallurgical plant.

Russia launched a military operation against Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin described his goal as “protecting people who have been subjected to eight years of bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime.” According to him, for this it is planned “demilitarization and gentrification of Ukraine” in order to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for “bloody crimes against civilians” in Donbass. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces attack only the military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops, and as of March 25 they have completed the main tasks of the first stage – they have significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass.