Mariupol mercy mission in transit amid Russian shells
KYIV: A new UN convoy was heading to Mariupol to evacuate civilians from the “hell” of a besieged steel plant, even as Ukraine accused Russia of breaking its promise to pause fire at the site.
Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have been holed up for weeks at the sprawling factory, trapped under intense Russian bombardment, in what has become the last pocket of resistance in the devastated but 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 that is defending it, said in a video on Telegram that heavy and 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,” Mr Palamar said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said 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 about 200 civilians remain sheltering in dismal conditions in the plant’s Soviet-era underground tunnels.
“We still have to evacuate civilians from there, women and children. Just imagine ... more than two months of constant bombing and constant death,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
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 confirmed “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.
Mr Putin earlier told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that “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,” Mr 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 a war that has killed thousands, destroyed cities and uprooted more than 13 million people, the Kremlin conceded that Kyiv’s Western partners had prevented a “quick” end to Russia’s campaign.
Since failing to take Kyiv early on in its invasion, which began on February 24, Russia has focused its efforts on Ukraine’s east and south.
Almost all doctors want to maximise their earnings, which is easiest in the larger cities. If we want rural doctors we have to incentivise that by making some Medicare provider numbers specific to rural locations. These days, doctors are effectively public servants due to the regulatory framework they work within – so they can be told where they can get a job if they want to work. (With thanks to the UAP candidate for pointing this out at our forum.)
Marie, Wongaling Beach
Daycare buses should be fitted with monitors similar to baby monitors so office staff can listen in to activity on buses. This may help avert a crisis. GTHO, Manunda
Target staff have to wear body cameras because our federal government normalised bad behaviour towards one another with their arbitrary, unwarranted and anti-scientific Covid mandates. All our worst problems are created by Labor and Liberal politicians. Suzanne, Edmonton
I find it interesting that the same “political editor“that ambushed the
Good luck trying to convince the nsurance industry that climate change is fake news and natural disasters aren’t becoming more regular and damaging. Each year we’re seeing more postcodes around Australia that are becoming uninsurable.
Prime Minister with leaked texts now refers to media colleagues’ questions as “gotcha tactics“. If Albo is saying Labor will create more jobs and improve the NDIS he needs to be able to answer any questions put towards either subject. Teddy, Bungalow
Is Albo suffering from early dementia, as he cannot answer questions or remember any facts regarding his own Labor policy?
Viv, Earlville
On Warren Entsch and Covid, why aren’t the vaccinations preventing Covid infection? We don’t get milder polio after the polio vaccination, and the current variants of Covid are milder anyway, right? So why do we still have nurses and cops suspended for refusing the vaccines that don’t stop the infections anyway?
Curious, Cairns
Those people in hospital with flurona must have been pretty unhealthy to start with. Big Clive had double pneumonia when he caught Covid and he shook it off in a week.
Phil, Edge Hill
Kerry, Caravonica, (CP, 6/05), is the “lounge chair” slur in the greenies’ daily briefing notes? Do you people know that Einstein did his best work in his comfortable wing-back armchair?
John, Mooroobool
“Business owners (are) at tipping point” because of 30 years of ALP policy.
Juss Sayen, Cairns
Oh dear, I voted and never heard of half of them. Can they print on voting paper what these parties are about? Very confusing.
Scoobie, Trinity Beach