Deputy minister: Situation is grave in half-besieged Kharkiv

Over the past day, Mariupol was hit by airstrikes and attacks on the seaport, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said, Report informs via Ukrinform.

“Our Armed Forces provide a strong defense. Mariupol is a shield for Ukraine. This city prevents Russian troops from advancing further,” he stressed.

According to the Deputy Minister, over the past day, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repulsed ten attacks from Russia in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

“The situation in Kharkiv is difficult. Part of the city is under siege. The Russian troops continue to attack the city. The war caused one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes in Mariupol. The Russian military is targeting civilians and obstructing humanitarian aid,” she added.

Earlier, the mayor of Mariupol said that about 20,000 civilians had been killed in the city since the war started.