Maruipol cannot
fall, a deputy commander of the Azov military, had told Reuters a few days ago
that the port city is the last thing standing between the creation of a land
corridor between Russia and Crimea allowing Russian forces come into Ukraine
through Crimea. But with the Russian onslaught on the city going on for days, the
people of Maruipol are in grave danger. The city has run out of power, water
and basic food supplies under a Russian blockade.

Maruipol mayor
Vodim Boychenko said authorities are looking at ways to set up a humanitarian
corridor to bring food and medicine into the city. The mayor has also called
for a ceasefire and restoration of vital infrastructure.

For Russia, Maruipol
comes with a huge strategic advantage. Therefore, the Moscow men have bombarded
the city and cut off water, electricity and heat in a harsh winter. A Western
intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity to the Washington
Post, has described the situation in Maruipol as a siege and has warned of “massive
loss of human life, especially civilians.”

“These will be
real sieges. They will be almost medieval in their approach. They will cordon
cities. They will bombard them until the ground bounces. And then they will go
in and they’ll go street to street,” the official said.

According to the
mayor, nearly 400,000 residents need to be evacuated amid bombardment
encircling Russian troops. “They want to wipe Maruipol and Maruipol residents
off the face of the earth,” the mayor said.

Ukrainian troops
are still holding the line against Russian troops, but are in an acute need for
support.

Oleskiy Arestovish,
adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Friday that discussions were
being held among Russian and Ukrainian forces as well as international bodies
about setting up a humanitarian corridor to evacuate residents and supply food,
reports Al Jazeera.

Russia and Ukraine
have agreed on the need for a humanitarian corridor and supply food. Meanwhile,
many Maruipol residents have moved to the city centre in the hopes of escaping
the shelling that has devastated the outskirts.