New Delhi: Amid worsening Russia-Ukraine crisis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday said Russia holds 300,000 civilians hostage in Ukraine's besieged city of Mariupol and a child has died from dehydration in Mariupol after spending several days with no water.
"Russia holds 300k civilians hostage in Mariupol, prevents humanitarian evacuation despite agreements with ICRC mediation. One child died of dehydration (!) yesterday! War crimes are part of Russia’s deliberate strategy. I urge all states to publicly demand: RUSSIA, LET PEOPLE GO!," said Dmytro in his latest Tweet.
Dmytro also accused Russia of violating the ceasefire agreements and shelling the humanitarian corridor from Zaporizhzhia to Mariupol.
"Ukraine Foreign Affairs Ministry: Ceasefire violated! Russian forces are now shelling the humanitarian corridor from Zaporizhzhia to Mariupol. 8 trucks + 30 buses ready to deliver humanitarian aid to Mariupol & to evac civilians to Zaporizhzhia. Pressure on Russia MUST step up...," he said as quoted by News agency ANI.
On Monday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said a child had died from dehydration in Mariupol, which has had no water, power, or heating supplies for days, as reported by Reuters.
"In 2022, from dehydration," Zelensky said in his video address, comparing the helpful emergency linked to Russian bombardment of Ukrainian urban areas to that made by the Nazi intrusion during World War Two.
The child's demise couldn't promptly be affirmed independently. Moscow calls its activities in Ukraine a "special military operation" to incapacitate its neighbor and arrest leaders it calls "neo-Nazis". It denies targeting civilians.