He said the people have no food, water or medicine and are under constant bombing and shelling.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that around 100,000 people are trapped in the country’s port city of Mariupol in “inhumane conditions”.
In a video update posted to Telegram on Tuesday evening following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last month, Zelensky said people in Mariupol have no food, water or medicine and are under constant bombing and shelling.
“As of today, there are about a hundred thousand people in the city in inhumane conditions in a complete blockade,” the Ukraine President stated.
“No food, no water, no medicine, under constant shelling, under constant bombing.”
He said that for more than a week, Ukraine has been trying to organise stable humanitarian corridors for Mariupol residents but that almost all of its attempts have been disrupted by “the Russian occupiers by shelling or deliberate terror”.
“Today, one of the humanitarian columns was simply captured by the occupiers on the agreed route near Manhush,” Zelensky stated.
“SES [State Emergency Service] employees and bus drivers were taken prisoner.
“We are doing everything we can do to free our people and unblock the movement of humanitarian aid.”
Despite the disruption, the Ukraine President did state that 7,026 Mariupol residents were rescued on Tuesday and that the “important work” would continue on Wednesday.
Zelensky’s update comes after US President Joe Biden warned earlier in the week that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be considering the use of biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine.
While speaking to American business leaders in Washington DC on Monday, Biden said that Putin’s back is now “against the wall” and that he was not anticipating “the extent or strength” of NATO’s unity.
“The more his back is against the wall, the greater the severity of the tactics he may employ,” the US President added.
“We’ve seen it before. He’s run a lot of false-flag operations.
“Whenever he starts talking about something he thinks NATO, Ukraine or the United States is about to do, it means he’s getting ready to do it. Not a joke.
“He’s asserting that we, in America, have biological as well as chemical weapons in Europe – simply not true. I guarantee you.
“They’re also suggesting that Ukraine has biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine.
“That’s a clear sign he is considering using both of those. He’s already used chemical weapons in the past, and we should be careful of what’s about to come.”
Main image via Zelensky/Telegram
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