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Civilians trapped inside Mariupol are desperately searching for food and fuel as Russian forces continued to bomb the port city on Thursday.
Meanwhile, satellite images showed that the Kremlin’s massive convoy, located a few kilometers outside the Ukrainian capital, had been disbanded and redeployed again.
An even larger number of countries condemned the airstrike on a maternity hospital in Mariupol the day before, as a result of which three people were killed. Western and Ukrainian officials called it a war crime. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s refusal to allow evacuations from the port city was a complete form of terror.
The number of refugees who have fled the country so far has reached 2.3 million and Kiev is preparing for an attack. The capital’s mayor said Kiev had practically turned into a fortress protected by armed civilians.
Satellite imagery by Maxar Technologies showed that the 64-kilometer military convoy, which consisted of tanks and artillery, had been disbanded and redeployed. Its armored units have been seen in towns near Antonov Airport. A portion of the vehicles have been relocated to forests, Maxar announced.
The convoy had piled up outside the city early last week, but it had stalled due to lack of food and fuel. US officials say Ukrainian troops have also hit it with anti-tank missiles.
In Mariupol, a city of 430,000, the situation is getting worse. More than 1,300 people have died since the attack began, according to Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.
Residents do not have heating or telephone service and many do not have electricity.
“They have a clear order to hold Mariupol hostage, to make fun of him, to bomb and hit him constantly“Mr. Zelensky said in his evening address to the nation. He said Russian military forces launched a tank attack exactly where there was supposed to be a humanitarian corridor.
Local officials say it is difficult to find sheltered shelters.
Zelensky said about 100,000 people had been evacuated over the past two days from seven cities in the north and center of the country including the outskirts of Kiev, despite the Russian blockade.
Western sanctions have already dealt a severe blow to Russia, leading to a devaluation of the ruble, the departure of foreign businesses from the country and rising prices.
But Russian President Vladimir Putin said the country had survived sanctions before.
“We will overcome themHe said in a meeting with government officials. However, he acknowledged that the sanctions would create some challenges for the country.
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