The leader of Ukrainian marines in the besieged city called for a withdrawal as Russian forces closed in.
A commander of Ukrainian marines fighting Russian forces in Mariupol said his forces “could be facing our last days, if not hours”, as Russia issue a new ultimatum for the fighters who are organizing inside a steel mill in the besieged city.
“The enemy is outnumbering us by 10 to one,” Serhiy Volyna from the 36th Isolated Marine Brigade said as he called for mining from the last stronghold at Mariupol in a Facebook post on Sunday. early Wednesday.
Hundreds of civilians are said to be sheltering in the basement of the besieged Azovstal factory, a vast factory with underground tunnels.
According to Russian information, about 2,500 Ukrainian fighters and 400 foreign mercenaries are hiding in steelworks, while Ukrainian reports say about 1,000 civilians are believed to have sought protection. guard there.
Information released by either side could not be verified due to the size of the fighting and lack of communication in Mariupol, a port besieged by Russian troops on 1 March, shortly after the start of the Russian invasion on 24. February.
The city and port is largely considered to have been destroyed in the weeks following Russian bombing and shelling.
Russia shift its focus arrived in eastern Ukraine in the last week of March after retreating force from Kyiv and its surrounding areas ended what Moscow called the “early phase” of the war.
Ukraine aims to evacuate 6,000 people from Mariupol
Meanwhile, the mayor of Mariupol said on Wednesday that efforts were being made to evacuate about 6,000 women, children and the elderly from the city.
Vadym Boychenko, who has since left Mariupol, said he hoped a preliminary agreement with Russia on the establishment of a safe corridor would strengthen and hold.
He said about 100,000 civilians remain in Mariupol and tens of thousands have been killed in the siege of the Russian Sea city of Azov.
Russia has many times called on the Ukrainian army to surrender, which they defied. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry says Ukrainian forces are still refuge inside Azovstal is facing a “catastrophic situation”.
“We call and plead with all the world leaders to help us,” Volyna said in the video. “We asked them to use the mining procedure and take us to the territory of a third party country.”
Russian forces are believed to have gradually entered the city and several Ukrainian officials on Tuesday said a hospital near the Azovstal plant had been hit by bullets.
Volyna said the Russians had “an advantage in the air, in terms of artillery, ground forces, equipment and tanks”.
“We are only protecting one object – the Azovstal factory – where in addition to soldiers, there are civilians who have fallen victim to this war,” he added.
