Ukraine tries to evacuate civilians from Mariupol as Marine commander appeals for help

As Ukraine tried to evacuate 6,000 women, children and elderly people from Mariupol on Wednesday, the Ukrainian marine commander in Mariupol said his troops may only be able to hold out for a few hours longer.

Ukraine's 36th marine brigade commander Serhiy Volyna, who is still fighting in Mariupol, called on the international community to help evacuate wounded Ukrainian soldiers and their families in a video posted several hours earlier.

As part of the preliminary agreement with Russia about establishing a safe corridor for civilians, Mariupol's mayor, Vadym Boichenko, urged civilians to leave the city.

“This is our appeal to the world. It may be our last. We may have only a few days or hours left,” he said, dressed in a camouflage jacket. “The enemy units are dozens of times larger than ours, they have dominance in the air, in artillery, in ground troops, in equipment and in tanks.”

20 April 2022