400,000 Ukrainians 'held hostage' by Russian forces

400,000 Ukrainians 'held hostage' by Russian forces in Mariupol

More than 400,000 people are being "held hostage" by Russian forces in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol, said Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Russian forces are reportedly blocking humanitarian aid and evacuation in the city.

A video posted to social media Tuesday and verified by @nytimes shows flattened homes in Mariupol, a key port city in southern Ukraine that Russian forces have surrounded. Information coming out from the city has been limited. W/ @ckoettl @dim109 https://t.co/dA06f2WyTI pic.twitter.com/eb9ebE9mnE

— Muyi Xiao (@muyixiao) March 9, 2022

The situation in Mariupol's harbor has been described as "apocalyptic." Hundreds of thousands of residents have been without water, power, or heat for more than a week as a result of Russian shelling and missile attacks. Signals on the phone are also down. Ukraine has appealed to Russian forces to honor their "formal public pledge" of a 12-hour ceasefire and allow the civilians to evacuate. BKM/ Expat Media

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