Ukraine war: Mariupol surrounded – separatists besiege 430,000-inhabitant city

Created: 03/03/2022, 08:14

By: Tobias Utz

Soldiers of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) militia sit on armored vehicles on a street outside Mariupol.

The recording is from Tuesday (03/01/2022).

(Archive photo) © Ivan Rodionov/Imago Images

With Mariupol, Russia could conquer a strategically valuable port city in eastern Ukraine.

The separatists warn the population.

Update from Thursday, March 3rd, 2022, 8 a.m.:

Pro-Russian separatists have threatened further attacks on the port city of Mariupol.

The Russian news agency Interfax reported that Mariupol could be targeted if the Ukrainian army did not surrender without a fight.

The port city is now almost surrounded.

Separatist troops besiege around 430,000 residents.

Separatists launch attack on port city of Mariupol - more than 100 injured

Update from Wednesday, March 2nd, 2022, 7:00 a.m.:

According to Mayor Wadym Boychenko, more than 100 residents have already been injured in Russian air raids on the port city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine.

"The number of wounded civilians is growing every day," Bojchenko said, according to the Unian agency, on Wednesday night.

“Today there are 128 people in our hospitals.

Our doctors don't even go home anymore." Recently, the situation in the city had improved at first, but then there was a new attack.

The information could not be independently verified.

The Ukrainian port city of Mariupol is a target of the Russian army.

© Evgeniy Maloletka/dpa

Separatists launch attack on port city of Mariupol

First report from Tuesday, March 1st, 2022, 3 p.m.:

Mariupol – While Russia* is bombing Kharkiv and besieging Kiev, another source of fire in the Ukraine conflict* is developing in Mariupol.

Russian separatist groups want to encircle the city.

Therefore, on Tuesday morning (03/01/2022) the call was made to the population to leave Mariupol without resistance.

A spokesman announced two “humanitarian corridors” for this.

They have until Wednesday to do that.

"Today's task is to encircle Mariupol," RIA news agency quoted Denis Pushilin, leader of Donetsk separatists.

"We guarantee safety on sections of the E58 trunk road both in the direction of the Zaporizhia region and in the direction of the territory of the Russian Federation," said Eduard Bassurin, spokesman for the insurgents.

Ukraine War: Separatists want to take Mariupol

In doing so, the separatists feed the narrative of the “denazification” of Ukraine, which is often cited by Vladimir Putin.

The insurgents see it as their task to liberate Ukraine* from "nationalists".

On Tuesday, Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov described the Ukrainian government led by President Zelensky as a "neo-Nazi regime".

The port city of Mariupol is considered a strategically important point of conquest of the Russian invasion.

Putin's troops are currently advancing from two flanks along the coast - the Sea of ​​Azov.

The capture of Mariupol would combine forces.

(do with dpa/AFP)