Following the Russian Ministry of Defense's announcement of a local ceasefire, Kyiv is preparing to send 45 buses to the city of Mariupol (southeast of the country) in order to evacuate civilians who have been trapped for weeks. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk stated in a video posted on Telegram today, Thursday, that the Red Cross officially informed them last night of Russia's readiness to open a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia via the Russian-controlled port of Berdyansk. "Evacuations are set for tomorrow!"
In turn, the Red Cross confirmed that a team from the organization is on its way to Mariupol to deliver aid. Ivan Watson, a spokesperson for the committee, mentioned that Ukraine and Russia must carefully agree on the terms of the planned operation scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, adding that “the lives of tens of thousands depend on its success.” He further stated in remarks to Reuters from Geneva, “For logistical and security reasons, we will carry out the safe passage operation tomorrow, provided all parties accurately agree on the terms, including the route, the timing of the operation, and its duration.”
This comes after Mariupol garnered significant international attention, especially as it faced heavy bombing, amid warnings of deteriorating humanitarian conditions. For several weeks, Russian forces have been encircling Mariupol, amid fierce fighting and street battles in some of its outskirts, while Ukrainian authorities warn of catastrophic conditions. Vadym Boychenko, the mayor of the coastal city, warned a few days ago that it is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster, calling for the complete evacuation of its residents, emphasizing that nearly 160,000 civilians are trapped inside without electricity and adequate food.
**Strategic Objective**
It is reported that about two thousand civilians have been killed in Mariupol, according to recent figures announced by the city's municipality, after several previous attempts to establish a secure evacuation route for civilians failed amidst mutual accusations between the sides of ceasefire violations. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilians, blaming Ukraine for the repeated failures to agree on opening safe corridors for the trapped.
Since the military operation defined by Moscow as limited commenced on February 24, Mariupol, overlooking the Sea of Azov, has constituted a strategic objective for Moscow, particularly as capturing it would allow the linking of areas controlled by Russian-backed separatists in the east with the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.
