The Ukrainian authorities announced on Sunday April 17 the suspension of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from eastern Ukraine, for lack of an agreement with the Russian army on a halt to firing. “We are sparing no effort to ensure that the humanitarian corridors resume as soon as possible”, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Telegram. Follow the situation live with franceinfo.
Critical situation in Mariupol. Russia claims to control almost all of the city and has launched a new appeal to the last Ukrainian defenders to lay down their arms for “to be guaranteed to have one’s life saved”. Enough to make President Volodymyr Zelenski say, Saturday, April 16, that the situation in this strategic port was “inhuman”.
Zelensky demands weapons to save the city. “Russia is deliberately trying to destroy anyone in Mariupol”, in southeastern Ukraine, launched Volodymyr Zelensky in a video message. According to him, there is only “two options” : “Either the partners provide Ukraine with all the necessary heavy weapons, aircraft and, without any exaggeration, immediately” for “reduce the pressure on Mariupol and lift the siege” of this city inhabited by 441,000 people before the invasion on February 24. “Either the path of negotiation, in which the role of the partners should also be decisive”continued the Ukrainian president.
Russia issues an ultimatum to the remaining Ukrainian fighters. At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense asked the last Ukrainian fighters entrenched in the city’s Azovstal metallurgical complex to cease the fighting on Sunday at 6 a.m. from Moscow (5 a.m. in Paris), and to evacuate the place before 1 p.m. (noon in Paris). “All those who have given up their arms will be guaranteed to have their lives saved”assured the ministry on Telegram. “It’s their only chance”.
The strikes continue. In the early morning of Sunday, the Ukrainian general staff indicated that airstrikes had been carried out on the city by the Russians from the regions of Donestk and Tavriya. “They also carried out assault operations near the port”, he detailed in a press release, without however mentioning the call to lay down arms or the Russian claim to take most of the city. The capture of this city would be an important victory for the Russians because it would allow them to consolidate their coastal territorial gains along the Sea of Azov by linking the Donbass region, partly controlled by their supporters, to the Crimea that Moscow has annexed in 2014.