A smidgen of hope, that’s what this news is.
On 5 March, Russia declared a partial ceasefire to allow humanitarian corridors out of the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha.
According to the Russian Defence Military, it announced “From 10am Moscow time, the Russian side declares a ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to leave Mariupol and Volnovakha.”
Mariupol Under Constant Attacks
The declaration came after Mariupol’s Mayor Vadim Boychenko stated on Saturday (5 March) that the city has been under “blockade” by Russian forces after days of “ruthless” attacks.
Whilst laying siege on the port city, the Russian troops have cut off its access to electricity, food, water, heating, and transportations in the trenches of winter.
And Mariupol Mayor’s words are by no means an exaggeration; ever since the Russian invasion began on 24 February, the attacks on Mariupol have never ceased.
In the early hours of the invasion, Kyiv Post reported: “The Ukrainian city of Mariupol is under heavy fire with reports of hundreds of explosions. The city is one of the biggest Ukrainian ports on the Azov Sea.
“Taking Mariupol would help Russia secure a direct lane route to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.”
The Ukrainian city of Mariupol is under heavy fire with reports of hundreds of explosions. The city is one of the biggest Ukrainian ports on the Azov Sea.
Taking Mariupol would help Russia secure a direct land route to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.— KyivPost (@KyivPost) February 24, 2022
Countless images of the destruction laid unto Mariupol has surfaced since; black smoke billowing cross the coastal city’s skyline, videos of fighter jets shelling residential areas, and even the usage of vacuum bombs—which is illegal under the Geneva Convention—captured by cameras.
Hey, world. You know what this is? Something tells me that it’s a vacuum bomb, which is forbidden in modern warfare. Ukraine is suffering from nazi Putin. SHARE THIS MESSAGE, we need NATO to guard our sky. We’ll take care of the rest.
#UkraineWar #Kyiv #Kharkiv #Mariupol pic.twitter.com/C111Do5sPW— YILISEN AIERKEN (@Gym1Free) March 2, 2022
The Small City Called Volnovakha
On the other hand, Volnovakha is a small city that sits at the borders of Donetsk, the breakaway region that recently declared independence.
The small city has been similarly devastated by the ongoing conflict, with houses and buildings completely wrecked; barely standing with their steel frames and cement pillars.
The streets have gone completely silent as its inhabitants have gone into hiding after a night of airstrikes.
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The Need for Humanitarian Aid
“For now, we are looking for solutions to humanitarian problems and all possible ways to get Mariupol out of the blockade,” said Boychenko as he calls for a ceasefire and a humanitarian corridor for food and medicine.
Fortunately, his wish has been granted, but Mariupol’s strategic position is still under threat, and its perilous situation has yet to come to end.
Just nine days in, and the port city has become a husk of what it once was.
Ever since President Vladimir Putin called for a “special military operation” on 24 February, the Russian forces have all but laid waste on the Ukrainian cities through airstrikes, artillery, and shelling.
The death toll and casualties for civilians is still climbing, and Moscow has also assaulted Europe’s largest atomic and most volatile power plant.
The invasion might have drawn condemnation and fierce sanctions from Western Nations, with the United Nations calling an Emergency General Assembly as well, but there are fears of a hazardous and radioactive escalation if the Kremlin decides to lay out all its cards in a bid for a pyrrhic conquest of Ukraine.
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Featured Images: Twitter (@Danict89 & @UkrVolunteers)