KYIV, (Washington Insider Magazine) – Residents of a besieged city in Ukraine were being evacuated on Tuesday as the government moved to alleviate a mounting humanitarian crisis prompted by a Russian attack that has halted on the ground but is wreaking havoc from the air.
After days of futile attempts to evacuate residents from hard-hit regions amid continuous Russian bombardment and doubt about Russia’s intentions, the two nations agreed to a new escape route and cease-fire in the northeastern city of Sumy.
In an address from his office in the capital, Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a strong tone, stressing that he was remaining there and not withdrawing as his nation entered its 13th day of the war.
Faced with fierce opposition and severe sanctions, Moscow vowed to halt the transit of gas from Russia to Europe through pipelines.
After many unsuccessful efforts to allow citizens to evacuate the Russian bombing in neighboring locations, Ukrainian officials pressed for the current evacuation plan to succeed.
Days of unrelenting Russian attacks and military build-up have damaged essential infrastructure and left communities without food, water, heat, or power across Mariupol in the southeast to Sumy in the north.
People with suitcases entering buses from Sumy were seen in a video broadcast by the Ukrainian state media agency, but it was unclear how long the attempt would persist or whether it would spread to other locations.
On Monday, Moscow proposed to permit people to move securely on authorized routes from certain locations to Russia and its staunch ally Belarus, but Ukraine turned down the offer.
According to the ministry of interior adviser Anton Gerashchenko, the evacuation of Sumy began when the city was hit by a Russian bombardment overnight, with Russian attacks targeting residential structures and killing over a dozen people, including 2 children.
According to NBC NEWS, Putin’s invasion has resulted in widespread devastation and death, but slow progress in its military ground assault.
As cities around the nation suffered, Zelenskyy sought to lift spirits on Monday. He pledged to restore the nation while condemning Moscow forces for hitting civilian infrastructure including churches and bread factories, stressing that he was working rather than hiding in Kyiv.
In an update issued early Tuesday, Ukraine’s military stated it had halted the Russian assault, but the country’s defense minister cautioned that Russian troops were planning a next round of strikes on significant cities such as Kyiv, Mykolayiv, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv.
According to a key US defense official, Russia has committed virtually all of the soldiers it has amassed surrounding Ukraine.
The humanitarian crisis in Mariupol, in the nation’s south, has intensified, leaving inhabitants without food, water, heat, or power. Several efforts to flee the city during the weekend were halted when Ukrainian officials claimed that Russian soldiers were still bombarding the region.
Hundreds of civilians are estimated to have been killed in the city since the assault began on February 24, according to Human Rights Watch, and major water scarcity poses a serious threat to the 200,000 inhabitants who have been unable to evacuate.
A Russian bomb is thought to have damaged the city’s only surviving cellphone tower on Sunday, blocking emergency cooperation, according to the organization. As a result of the ongoing attacks, repairs to damaged structures, including water filtration units and groundwater pumps, have been suspended, leaving residents to drink rainwater and gather snow.
The Kremlin has cautioned against the West’s engagement as Russia’s isolation has intensified since the war erupted over 2 weeks ago.
In reaction to Berlin’s decision last month to cancel the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Moscow might halt the transit of gas through current pipelines from Russia to Germany, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated on Monday.
