Ukraine President Zelensky claims Russia blocking evacuations in Mariupol

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a televised message on Tuesday that Russia will be labelled a “source of evil” for striking civilians.

“Forever the Russian army will be written in history as the most barbaric and inhumane army in the world,” Zelensky said, “The targeted killing of civilians and destruction of residential buildings with all kinds of weapons, including those that are forbidden by international conventions — this is just a trademark of the Russian army and this will truly mark the Russian Federation as the source of evil.”

Also read: Joe Biden warns Russia-Ukraine war will ‘take its toll’ on global economy

The intensity of Russian fire towards the regions of Kharkiv and Donbas has “significantly increased,” Zelensky said. 

The situation in Mariupol remains “brutal and unchanged,” according to Zelensky. He said that the Russian military is obstructing evacuations and safe passages from Mariupol. Zelensky went on to say that he had issued a decree honouring the Ukrainian armed forces defending Mariupol.

According to Zelensky, he met with members of parliament to advocate the continuation of martial law in Ukraine.

Also read: US to supply more artillery to Ukraine: Joe Biden

“It’s very important to ensure stable activities at all of the borders,” he said.

Major Serhii Volyna, commander of Ukraine’s 36th Separate Marine Brigade, spoke with news network CNN by phone on Tuesday evening from the besieged city of Mariupol, requesting that a third country provide evacuation for troops and civilians trapped in the Azovstal steel plant, which is under heavy Russian bombardment.

Also read: Russian Foreign Minister brands Indian EAM S. Jaishankar as ‘real patriot’

“I have a statement to the world,” Volyna said. “It may be my last statement, because we have only a few days, or even hours, left. We appeal to world leaders to apply the extraction procedure to the military of the Mariupol garrison, to the civilians who are with us here at the plant. We ask you to take us to the territory of a third country and provide us with security.”

Ukrainian forces inside the besieged city have consolidated around the massive Azovstal steel factory.