The troops of the Azov Battalion say the pictures from the suburbs of Kyiv are appalling, but we are yet to discover the war crimes russians committed in Mariupol, according to the Chief of Staff of the Azov Battalion Bogdan Krotevich.
"The situation in the city is critical. 90% of the city is destroyed by russian shelling and artillery fights. Some 200 thousand citizens are either under the piles of rubble or in the bomb shelters, under constant shelling by russians. They have no food, water or electricity. We have no opportunity to rescue them, due to fierce battles on the ground. The air raid sirens are never on, because the threat of shelling started on 1 March and remains at present" he said.
Bogdan Krotevych stated that russians commit genocide of the Ukrainian population in Mariupol.
"I am shocked and appalled by what russian troops do... Their strategy is to completely destroy the city along with its residents. After the tanks destroy buildings, russians launch a massive offensive with its infantry divisions," he said.
“Although russian army exceeds in the number of staff and equipment, they lag behind in terms of professionalism and motivation we have”, he said. The Ukrainian Army will speak the language of force only.
Ukrainian soldiers continue to vigorously defend Mariupol. However, local residents are suffering. Russians continue the shelling and block humanitarian corridors for evacuation and humanitarian aid supplies. According to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, almost 40,000 residents of Mariupol were deported to Russia or the occupied territory of Donetsk region. However, the exact number of deported civilians is yet to be confirmed, given that russians oftenly confiscate Ukrainian IDs. Many children are separated from their parents.
A 12-year-old orphan Kira Obedinska was one of the forcibly deported children from Mariupol. She was relocated to Donetsk together with people who she stayed in the bomb shelter with. Her father, the champion of Ukraine in water polo Yevhen Obedinsky, died on 17 March during an airstrike. Kira’s mother passed away years ago.
Russians also forcibly deported personnel and patients of the maternity hospitals to the russian federation.
On 2 April, the Deputy Commander of the Azov Battalion “Kalyna” called on Ukrainians to help unblock the city to evacuate children.
Earlier, the Commander of the Azov Special Purpose Separate Detachment Denis Prokopenko said that Ukrainian soldiers continue to defend Mariupol despite shortage in food and water supplies.