Russia-Ukraine crisis: UN convoy to rescue civilians from Mariupol ‘hell’

The United Nations on Thursday said a new convoy was heading to evacuate civilians from the “hell” of a besieged steel plant in Mariupol, even as Ukraine accused Russia of breaking its promise to pause fire at the site.

Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have for weeks been holed up at the sprawling factory, trapped under heavy Russian fire, in what has become the last pocket of resistance in the strategically important southern port city.

The Russian army announced a three-day ceasefire at the site, but Svyatoslav Palamar, a commander of the Azov regiment which is defending it, said in a video on Telegram that heavy bloody fighting continued.

“The Russians violated the promise of a truce and did not allow the evacuation of civilians who continue to hide from shelling in the basement of the plant,” Palamar said.

President Vladimir Putin said Thursday the Russian army was still ready to allow civilians to leave the complex, while a Kremlin spokesman said humanitarian corridors were “functioning”.

The mayor of Mariupol estimates that around 200 civilians are still sheltering in dismal conditions in the plant’s Soviet-era underground tunnels.

Women and children are among them, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, though one of his advisors cautioned that incoming information was “contradictory.”

Despite the uncertainty, UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said the rescue convoy was on its way.

“A convoy is proceeding to get to Azovstal by tomorrow morning hopefully to receive those civilians remaining in that bleak hell... and take them back to safety,” he told a Ukraine donor conference in Warsaw.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed to AFP “that a safe passage operation is ongoing” in coordination with the UN.

The two organisations already worked together to evacuate some 100 civilians from the plant at the weekend.

Speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Putin said “the Russian military is still ready to ensure the safe exit of civilians”, according to the Kremlin.

“As for the militants remaining at Azovstal, the Kyiv authorities must give them an order to lay down their arms,” Putin said.

Taking full control of the now flattened city of Mariupol would be a major victory for Moscow, allowing it to create a land bridge between separatist, pro-Russian regions in the east and Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.

Nearly 10 weeks into fighting that has killed thousands, destroyed cities and uprooted more than 13 million people, the Kremlin conceded Thursday that Kyiv’s Western partners had prevented a “quick” end to Russia’s military campaign by sharing intelligence and weapons with Ukraine.

Since failing to take Kyiv early on in its attack, which began on February 24, Russia has focused its efforts on the east and south of Ukraine.

The outside help, nevertheless, was “incapable of hindering the achievement” of Russia’s military operation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted.

Zelensky, who has tirelessly campaigned for help from allies, on Thursday launched a global crowdfunding platform to help Kyiv win the war and rebuild the country’s infrastructure.

“In one click, you can donate funds to protect our defenders, to save our civilians and to rebuild Ukraine,” Zelensky said in a video, launching the United24 platform.

More than six billion euros ($6.3 billion) were collected at the Ukraine donors’ conference in Warsaw, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.

Ukraine’s government in April estimated the cost of rebuilding after the fighting to be at least $600 billion.