Up to 15,000 Russian soldiers killed, says NATO

A video shows what is left of Mariupol

Aerial footage shows widespread destruction in the beleaguered city of Mariupol, where efforts continue to evacuate residents on Wednesday.

Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, shared the video, reiterating calls for a no-fly zone over the country.

“Russian forces continue to annihilate Mariupol,” the Verkhovna Rada said. “People remain besieged without water, food and medicine. We demand to secure the humanitarian corridors for Mariupol! Stop the genocide against the Ukrainian people!”

In a video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 7,000 residents of Mariupol had been rescued on Tuesday, “despite all difficulties”.

Zelensky explained that repeated attempts to organize humanitarian corridors for residents of Mariupol have been disrupted by Russian forces over the past week. As of Tuesday, around 100,000 people remained in the city.

Zelensky’s remarks:

“I am grateful to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece who was the first European official to decide to support the work of our humanitarian corridors in Mariupol. To evacuate our inhabitants of the city and provide humanitarian aid, which is critically important to everyone.

To date, there are about one hundred thousand people in the city. In inhuman conditions. In a complete blockade. No food, no water, no medicine. Under constant bombardment, under constant bombardment.

For more than a week now we have been trying to organize stable humanitarian corridors for the residents of Mariupol. And almost all our attempts, unfortunately, are interrupted by the Russian occupiers. By bombardment or deliberate terror.

Today, one of the humanitarian columns has simply been captured by the occupiers. On agreed route near Manhush. SES employees and bus drivers were taken prisoner.

We are doing everything we can to liberate our people and unblock the flow of humanitarian aid. That is why I am grateful when a high-level representative of a European state agrees to personally join the humanitarian mission.

We expect the implementation of this plan by the Greek Foreign Minister in the coming days.

Despite all the difficulties, 7,026 residents of Mariupol were rescued today.

Tomorrow, we will continue this important work.”