04/20/2022 07:27 (act 04/20/2022 16:49)
Ukraine hopes to rescue 6,000 civilians on Wednesday
Ukraine is facing a massive deployment of Russian troops in the east of the country.
“Now virtually the entire combat-ready part of the Russian army is concentrated on the territory of our state and Russia’s border areas,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message late on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Marines remaining in Mariupol have called for an evacuation to a third country.
The Russian side gathered “almost everyone and everything capable of fighting with us,” Zelenskyy said. He asked for weapons again. The situation in Mariupol is “as difficult as possible”. The Russian military is blocking all attempts to organize humanitarian corridors and rescue Ukrainian citizens.
“The enemy outnumbers us by 10 to 1”
Zelenskyy criticized that city residents who were in the hands of Russian units were being “deported” or mobilized by Russian troops. Unfortunately, no responses were received to the exchange proposal that would have saved the city’s civilians and defenders. He did not provide further information about the exchange.
“The enemy is superior to us 10 to 1,” the commander of Ukraine’s 36th Marines Brigade Serhiy Volyna said in a one-minute video message posted to Facebook early Wednesday morning.
“We appeal to all world leaders to help us.” Russia has advantages in the air, artillery, ground forces, equipment and tanks. The Ukrainian side defends only one object, the Azovstal Steel Works, where, in addition to the military, there are also civilians. The soldiers, more than 500 wounded fighters and hundreds of civilians must be evacuated by helicopter or ship, Wolyna told CNN. “This is our appeal to the world. This may be the last appeal of our lives.”
Russia wants to take control of the port city
Russia wants to take full control of the strategically important port city and once again summoned hundreds of Ukrainian fighters at a steel mill to surrender on Tuesday. However, they refused. On Tuesday night, the army announced a ceasefire until 2 pm Moscow time (1 pm CET) on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Azov regiment reported that the steel plant was almost completely destroyed by heavy bombs and many people were buried under the rubble. “We pulled people out of the rubble,” deputy chief of the Azov regiment, Sviatoslaw Palamar, was quoted as saying by Ukrinform news agency. He stressed that the defenders will fight “to the last bullet”. At the same time, he called on the government to evacuate civilians, wounded and dead bodies from the city.
“Trading process has become even more complicated”
Meanwhile, the British Ministry of Defense announced that Ukraine was able to fend off numerous advances by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. Russian advances are hampered by terrain, logistical and technical difficulties, he said, citing intelligence information. Added to this is the resilience of the highly motivated Ukrainian army. Continued resistance in Mariupol and indiscriminate attacks on civilians are indications that Moscow is not achieving its goals as quickly as it hoped.
According to Ukraine’s chief negotiator Mykhailo Podoliak, it is difficult to say when peace talks with Russia could resume. “Of course, in the context of the Mariupol tragedy, the negotiation process has become even more complicated.” “Russia defiantly refuses any sign of humanity and humanity when it comes to certain humanitarian corridors. Especially when we talk about Mariupol.” No direct trading has taken place since March 29. Both sides are responsible for this.
“Afraid it will be worse than in Bucha”
According to information from European circles, the city on the Sea of Azov could fall in a few days. “I’m afraid it’s worse than in Bucha,” said a source. After taking Mariupol, President Vladimir Putin can declare the city “liberated” on May 9 – the day Russia is celebrating the surrender of Nazi Germany, he said. The Russian medium-term objective is likely to control the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in Donbass and establish a connection between Crimea and Donbass. This should take four to six months. The conflict can then lead to an impasse.
Meanwhile, fierce fighting is also taking place in other parts of Ukraine. In the southern Ukraine region of Zaporizhia, authorities are reporting heavy fighting around the small town of Polohy. “The men are holding the defensive line, but the enemy is attacking massively,” regional governor Olexander Staruch said. According to the city’s mayor, several explosions were also reported in the small town of Mykolaiv, in southern Ukraine, on Wednesday night. According to Ukrainian news agency Unian, residents of the city also reported that fires broke out in some places. Initially there was no information about damage or casualties.
In the Luhansk region, separatists reported taking over the small town of Kreminna. This is “completely” under the control of “People’s Republic” units, Luhansk’s “People’s Militia” said on Telegram late on Tuesday. An attached video shows a Russian flag hanging from the front door of the town hall. The Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Hajday, reported on Monday that control of the small town north of the city of Sievjerodonetsk had been lost. According to the latest analysis by the US war research institute ISW, the advance on Kreminna was the only Russian ground offensive in 24 hours that made “significant progress”.
The Ukrainian General Staff announced that in Donbass, the small town of Marjinka was once again under Kiev’s control. “In the direction of Donetsk, in the area of the city of Marjinka, the enemy suffered heavy losses as a result of a counterattack by our forces and retreated” – Ukrainian units regained control of the city, according to the situation report of the General Staff.