Local resident Pavel, 42, stands next to the grave of his friend Igor, who was killed by shelling while they were riding together in a car during Ukraine-Russia conflict
(Picture: REUTERS)A convoy of aid buses has departed for the southern city of Mariupol, Ukrainian officials have said.
Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk and the Red Cross said the 45 Ukrainian buses will attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to the city which has been decimated by Russian shelling.
The buses departed for Mariupol after the International Committee Red Cross (ICRC) agreed to open a safe corridor with Russia and will also attempt to rescue civilians from the besieged city.
"It’s desperately important that this operation takes place. The lives of tens of thousands of people in Mariupol depend on it,” ICRC spokesperson Ewan Watson said.
"For logistics and security reasons, we’ll be ready to lead the safe passage operation tomorrow, Friday, provided all the parties agree to the exact terms, including the route, the start time and the duration.”
Due to the heavy shelling of the southern city, officials have warned the citizens left in Mariupol face running out of basic supplies such as water and medicine.
The mayor’s office has also warned up to 5,000 people have been killed in the city, including 210 children, since the invasion on February 24.
Vadym Boichenko warned 160,000 civilians are left in the city while a further 150,000 have fled since the invasion began.
There are also fears thousands have been forcibly removed from the city and taken to camps in the east of the city.
Mr Boichenko said: “The situation in the city remains difficult. People are beyond the line of humanitarian catastrophe. We need to completely evacuate Mariupol.”
Prior to the departure of the humanitarian convoy, Vladimir Putin called for the immediate surrender of the city or the heavy shelling will continue.
The Russian leader made the demand during a call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday night.
French officials claimed Putin had agreed to consider plans to evacuate citizens out of the city which the Elysee said had become a “catastrophic” situation.
