Mariupol unbowed

Ukrainians in the besieged port city of Mariupol have refused to surrender to Moscow, despite dire humanitarian conditions, with Iryna Vereshchuk, the country’s deputy prime minister, insisting “there can be no question of any laying down of arms.”

This refusal comes after the Russian military gave Ukraine until 05:00 Moscow time today (02:00 GMT) to give up the south-eastern city and hand over weapons, in exchange for safe humanitarian routes out of the city. 

The mayor of Mariupol has said that Ukrainian forces will continue to defend the city, and that Russian promises of so-called safe corridors cannot be trusted after recent breaches. 

Mariupol’s remaining citizens will pay a high price for their raw determination. The city, which is encircled by Russian troops, has been described as “Hell on Earth” by those sheltering from the intense shelling. 

Most of the 300,000 Ukrainians estimated to still be there are now uncontactable, existing without electricity, food, water or the internet. 

Hundreds remain trapped in the basement of a theatre bombed by Russia last week, since teams have deemed it too dangerous to clear the rubble of the building amid the constant shelling. For the same reason, bodies are being left in the streets. 

Mark Galeotti, professor at the UCL’s School of Slavonic and East European Studies, points out that there is a striking parallel between the crisis developing in Mariupol and the siege of Leningrad – modern day St Petersburg – during the Second World War. For almost 900 days, Leningrad’s three million inhabitants lived under constant German bombardment, suffering in freezing, filthy, subterranean shelters. “Yet, Putin has no hesitation in inflicting the same misery and suffering on innocent Ukrainians,” says Galeotti.

Mariupol is a strategically important city for Moscow since capturing it would complete a land bridge from Russia to Crimea. But the country’s deputy prime minister, Vereshchuk, believes Putin has another motive on top of this. She claims that Putin is intent on “wreaking personal revenge on the people of Mariupol” and collectively punishing them because he failed to capture the city during Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. 

Capturing Kyiv remains Putin’s biggest priority of all. At least eight people were killed in the capital today after Russian shelling caused a huge explosion at a shopping centre in a residential district of the city. 

Unrest continues throughout the handful of cities which Russia has managed to seize since its invasion began. Video footage emerged today from the occupied southern city of Kherson showing Russian troops breaking up a demonstration by opening fire on Ukrainian protesters. 

Kherson – the largest city to be captured by Russian forces so far – has seen regular protests against the occupation since Russian troops took control at the start of March. 

The catastrophe in Mariupol comes at the start of a crucial week of diplomacy to strengthen the transatlantic effort to provide humanitarian support to Ukraine and turn the economic screws on Russia. Joe Biden will touch down in Europe on Wednesday to meet with members of NATO, the EU and the G7 in Brussels, before travelling to Poland for a one-on-one meeting with President Andrzej Duda on Friday. The situation in Mariupol is a horrifying reminder of just how high the stakes are.