Mariupol mayor says Russia relentlessly shelling residential areas
The mayor of the south-eastern city of Mariupol says that scores of civilians have been killed over the past 14 hours in relentless shelling of residential areas by Russian forces.
Vadym Boychenko told Ukraine's 1+1 TV Channel that Moscow's troops have also stopped civilian evacuations from the port city, preventing thousands from fleeing the battle.
"There’s been colossal destruction of residential infrastructure, there are many wounded and unfortunately many civilian dead, women, children, old people," Boychenko said. "A full-scale genocide of the Ukrainian people is under way."
Quote Message: You have to understand that the occupation forces of the Russian Federation have done everything to stop the exit of civilians from our city of half a million people.
Quote Message: Our railway link has been cut – they even went to the railway station and fired on our diesel locomotives so that people can’t be evacuated. So their mission is to destroy us, they have no intention of helping civilians. from Vadym Boychenko
The city of Mariupol sits in a strategic location, splitting Russian forces on the annexed Crimean Peninsula from separatist troops in eastern Ukraine.
