Mariupol Evacuation Efforts Fail, Russia Unable to Ensure Ceasefire

Mariupol Evacuation Efforts Fail, Russia Unable to Ensure Ceasefire

Efforts to open a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol “did not work as planned” Wednesday, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

“Due to the lack of control over their own military at the place, the occupiers were unable to ensure a proper ceasefire,” Vereshchuk explained. “Also due to own un-organization and negligence, the occupiers could not provide timely transportation of people to the point where dozens of our buses and ambulances were waiting.”

Efforts to reopen evacuation routes from the besieged city will continue Thursday. Wednesday marks the fourth day of failed attempts to open humanitarian corridors in several locations. Previous efforts were thwarted as Russian forces attacked and blocked routes along with failed negotiations, Vereshchuk said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Russia to unblock the city Wednesday, saying the situation is “deteriorating.”

“Ukraine is ready to resolve the issue of unblocking Mariupol and evacuating civilians through diplomacy, but Russia has not yet shown readiness to take such a step,” Zelensky said Wednesday, adding that hundreds of soldiers are wounded.

Zelensky addressed the dire situation following talks with the President of the European Council Charles Michel in Kyiv. Zelensky said Ukraine is “constantly” offering Russia options to organize humanitarian corridors.

“Tens of thousands of civilians were evacuated from Mariupol thanks to this work,” Zelensky said. “Unfortunately, several thousand people believed the Russian occupiers and went to the occupied parts of our state, as well as to the Russian Federation. And we don’t know the fate of these thousands of peaceful people.”

Zelensky said there are two ways to unblock the city– through diplomacy or providing heavy weaponry to the Ukrainian military in Mariupol. Diplomatic efforts have failed, he said, as Russia continues “to play.” Zelensky said he is ready for any format of exchange.

“And whether I like it or not, in the course of the remaining three years that the people have given me, I am ready to hold a dialogue with the President of Russia on the end of the war,” Zelensky said.