Putin’s Forces Break Mariupol Ceasefire Within Hours
The Russian military promised a ceasefire in Mariupol and Volnovakha from 7am to 2pm UK time on Saturday. But by midday, the truce was shattered. Kyiv says evacuations have ground to a halt amid ongoing shelling.
“The Russian side is not holding to the ceasefire and has continued firing on Mariupol itself and on its surrounding area,” said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of President Zelenskyy’s office. “Talks with the Russian Federation are ongoing regarding setting up a ceasefire and ensuring a safe humanitarian corridor.”
Mariupol’s Deputy Mayor Ready to Evacuate Thousands
Before the ceasefire broke, Mariupol’s deputy mayor Sergei Orlov told 1 News there were 50 buses at the ready to evacuate up to 6,000 residents to Zaporizhzhia, 220km northwest.
Meanwhile, Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine’s security council, urged the creation of safe humanitarian corridors. “This is question number 1,” he said, emphasising the urgent need to protect children, women, and the elderly fleeing the conflict.
Kremlin Fires Back Over Western Sanctions
In a separate development, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov slammed Western sanctions as “economic banditry” and warned Moscow will retaliate. Though he didn’t specify how, Peskov insisted any response would serve Russian interests.
He dismissed the West’s attempts to isolate Russia, arguing the world is “much larger than just the US and Europe” — a clear dig at the UK, EU, and US governments who recently unleashed sweeping sanctions on Russian institutions and elite billionaires close to Putin.
