Zelenskyy says 'Mariupol will go down in history' as an example of war crimes that will be remembered 'for centuries to come'

Katie Balevic
Updated ·2 min read
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  • The Russian assault on Mariupol will be remembered for "centuries to come," Zelenskyy said.

  • Russian bombing has laid waste to the city, targeting schools, maternity hospitals, and a movie theater.

  • Some 4,000 Mariupol residents have managed to leave for Zaporizhzhia, Zelenskyy said.

The brutal assault on the city of Mariupol in Ukraine will be remembered for "centuries to come," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Sunday.

"The besieged Mariupol will go down in history of responsibility for war crimes. The terror the occupiers did to the peaceful city will be remembered for centuries to come," Zelenskyy said in a video address on Telegram.

Mariupol, located in southeast Ukraine, has been the subject of a brutal assault that has laid waste to the city's homes, schools, and maternity hospitals. Some residents have been sheltering for weeks, and many are without food, water, or electricity.

Last week, Russian forces bombed a movie theater in the city where over 1,000 civilians were sheltering. On Friday, authorities reported that 130 people had been rescued from the theater while 1,300 were still trapped. The number of casualties is unknown.

Burning and heavily damaged apartment buildings and stores
Burning and heavily damaged apartment buildings and storesSatellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies

Multiple attempts at humanitarian corridors and ceasefires have failed, despite being agreed upon with the Russians.

"The more Ukrainians will tell the world about it, the more support we find. The more Russia uses terror against Ukraine, the worse the consequences will be for it," Zelenskyy said on Sunday.

Estimates for the number of Russian military deaths have varied widely. Zelenskyy said Sunday that over 14,000 Russian soldiers have died. US intelligence estimated last week that 7,000 of the 150,000 Russian troops involved in the war had died.

The Ukrainian president added on Sunday that eight humanitarian corridors worked effectively on Saturday, allowing 6,623 people across the country to be rescued.

"More than 4,000 Mariupol residents managed to leave for Zaporizhzhia," he said.

Read the original article on Business Insider