The mayor of the besieged port city of Mariupol has put the number of civilians killed there at more than 5,000, as Ukraine braced for what could become a climactic battle for control of the country’s industrial east. M ayor Vadym Boichenko also said that of the civilians killed during the weeks of Russian bombardment and street fighting, 210 were children.
He added that Russian forces bombed hospitals, including one where 50 people burned to death and that more than 90% of the city’s infrastructure has been destroyed. The attacks on the strategic southern city on the Sea of Azov have cut off food, water, fuel and medicine and pulverised homes and businesses.
British defence officials said 160,000 people remained trapped in the city, which had a pre-war population of 430,000. A humanitarian relief convoy accompanied by the Red Cross has been trying for days without success to get into the city.
