Kyiv says 'no question' of surrender in Mariupol after Russia sets 5am deadline

[riversedge]

Source: the guardian






Moscow, saying ‘terrible humanitarian catastrophe’ is unfolding in city, offers safe passages to fighters who give in


Man carrying bag with tanks in background
Tanks of pro-Russian troops on the outskirts of the besieged southern port city of Mariupol in Ukraine. Photograph: Alexander



Sun 20 Mar 2022 18.14 EDT Last modified on Sun 20 Mar 2022 20.42 EDT

Russia has given Ukrainian forces a deadline of 5am Moscow time (2am GMT) on Monday to lay down their arms in the eastern port city of Mariupol, where it said a “terrible humanitarian catastrophe” was unfolding.

“Lay down your arms,” Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, the director of the Russian National Defence Management Center, said on Sunday in a briefing. “A terrible humanitarian catastrophe has developed,” he said. “All who lay down their arms are guaranteed safe passage out of Mariupol.”

The deadline was quickly rejected by Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk saying that there can be “no question” of surrender.

“There can be no talk of any surrenders, laying down of arms. We have already informed the Russian side about this,” she said, according to online news site Ukrainska Pravda. “Instead of wasting time on 8 pages of letters, just open a [humanitarian] corridor.”.........................................







Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/russia-sets-5am-deadline-for-ukrainian-forces-surrender-in-mariupol?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_gu&utm_medium&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1647814533

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I would not trust Putin. nope. gods, what a horrible place to be in.

[Igel]

1. It went badly for those who accepted the "humanitarian corridor" from Groznyi.

Landmines, shelling, arrests. They were after fighters and anybody who could be a fighter or anti-Russian (= "fascist&quot . Or their supporters. Or allies.

Same stated terms.

Why think that the intent this time is any different?

[William Gustafson]

2. In the famous words of Admiral AckBarr........

"Its a Trap!!!".

Tell the Commies to shove it up their ass...

[bluewater]

3. "There can be no talk of any surrenders, laying down of arms." Really?

Really? Is that leadership?

What are the cut off and surrounded civilians in Mariupol supposed to do? Be at the utter mercy of the Russians?

What are the cut off and surrounded Armed Forces in Mariupol supposed to do when they run out of ammunition?



No one can depend on the Russians to save these lives, Zelensky must step up and make some hard choices on Mariupol at once.

The only two possibilities would be a counter attack to break the siege or a surrender, right?

And the Ukrainian government already said there was no realistic possibility of Ukrainian Armed Forces breaking the siege.

NATO won't actually step in to stop this humanitarian disaster in Mariupol either.

This is just so tragic.

[GenThePerservering]

4. Would you trust the Russians?

I wouldn't.

[BigmanPigman]

5. No way in Hell.

[bluewater]

6. So the innocent civilians trapped in Mariupol are just supposed to be slaughtered?

[NYC Liberal]

7. They will be either way.

[bluewater]

8. So do nothing to TRY to save them?

Mariupol is cut off and surrounded.

The Ukrainian government said that there is no realistic probability of lifting the siege.

So the tens of thousands, probably hundreds of thousands, of innocent civilians in Mariupol are just left to the slaughter for sure?

Right now the Russians are dropping bombs on Mariupol every 10 minutes.

"Bombs falling every 10 minutes," says Ukrainian officer in Mariupol

Mariupol came under further heavy bombardment overnight, according to a Ukrainian officer inside the city.

“Bombs are falling every 10 minutes; Russian navy warships are shelling. Yesterday the soldiers defused four tanks, [as well as] armored vehicles and troops. We still need ammunition, anti-tank weapons and air defense," Captain Svyatoslav Palamar of the National Guard Azov Regiment in Mariupol told CNN.

Palamar said he and his fellow fighters would not surrender in Mariupol.
Some background: The Russian-issued deadline for Mariupol authorities to surrender the city passed at 5 a.m. Moscow (10 p.m. ET Sunday), with Ukrainians rejecting the ultimatum.

The port city of Mariupol, which before the war was home to around 450,000 people, has been under near constant attack from Russian forces since early March with satellite images showing significant destruction to residential areas.

https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-21-22/h_aa76393e1b16e6be6d04b0acb9fb96d4

[LiberalLovinLug]

9. Its a war of attrition

For both sides.
Sad about Mariupol. Bad luck to be a major city so close to Russia.

But to capitulate would not make those civilian lives much safer. Either they'd be shelled as they tried to leave, or they'd be carted off to Russian torture cells.

The only way to win Mariupol in the end, is from outside of the city. Hoping to get more and more arms into the country, and force the Russians to have to back off first. Or have to use those troops somewhere else because of Ukraine advancements. Or better yet, Putin actually sees reality that he can't win, and with increasing economic pressure at home, is forced to leave.

[Sapient Donkey]

10. Russian troops can withdrawal back to Russia. This humanitarian disaster is all on them

It's not that Zelenskyy needs to make a choice, it's Putin and his generals. They need to make a choice to return home.

This "Nice cities you have here, it would be a shame if you let bad things happen to them" is not something that should be accepted. Yes, the reality is that the city is going to be destroyed. Civilians who haven't been able to leave will be caught in the middle of it, but this all because Russia made it happen.

If the Ukrainians are choosing to fight, then I cannot fault them for that.

[bluewater]

11. "It's not that Zelenskyy needs to make a choice" Yes it is, he's the President of Ukraine

The welfare of innocent civilians trapped and surrounded by the brutal Russian invaders is indeed one of President Zelensky's responsibilities.

Zelensky: Mariupol is being "reduced to ashes," but the city will "survive"


Multiple buildings burn amid Russian strikes on Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 20. (Planet Labs PBC/AP)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address released Monday that the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol is being “reduced to ashes” by Russia's military aggression, but added that the city will “survive.”

Mariupol, which before the war was home to around 450,000 people, has been under near constant attack from Russian forces since early March with satellite images showing significant destruction to residential areas.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday that “what's happening Mariupol is a massive war crime.”

https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-21-22/h_27342edbb2dbc6f97af543f89833d66c

[Sapient Donkey]

13. So, if any country decides to surround another country's cities with its army

And threaten to attack, then the attacked country had no choice but to give into the demands of the attacker? The choice here is for Russia to not attack and to go home. Putin needs to put the lives of these people ahead of his desires of conquest and empire.

[bluewater]

14. "And threaten to attack" Threaten? THOUSANDS of innocent civilans are ALREADY DEAD.

How many more women and children must die in what Ukraine ADMITS is a hopeless situation with no reasonable probability of lifting the brutal siege of Mariupol or stopping wanton shelling of the city's residential areas?

The welfare of innocent civilians trapped and surrounded by the brutal Russian invaders is indeed one of President Zelensky's responsibilities.

Zelensky: Mariupol is being "reduced to ashes," but the city will "survive"


Multiple buildings burn amid Russian strikes on Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 20. (Planet Labs PBC/AP)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address released Monday that the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol is being “reduced to ashes” by Russia's military aggression, but added that the city will “survive.”

Mariupol, which before the war was home to around 450,000 people, has been under near constant attack from Russian forces since early March with satellite images showing significant destruction to residential areas.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday that “what's happening Mariupol is a massive war crime.”

https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-21-22/h_27342edbb2dbc6f97af543f89833d66c

[Sapient Donkey]

15. With every city that Russia encircles, the forces should just surrender to Russia?

Just out of curiosity, do you feel the Russian invasion of Ukraine is justified or unjustified?

[bluewater]

16. Are the people starving? Are the fighters being resupplied? Or is hopeless like Mariupol?

As for my views, I keep all my OP's in my DU journal, you or anyone else can check those and see that I have constantly called the Russians brutal invaders and have lauded the heroic efforts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to repell them.

I have consistently point out that President Zelensky's constant pleas for more NATO and US help are totally valid because the situation in Ukraine is so desperate.

I have also stated I feel that people here in the US really do not understand how brutal the Russian invaders are and the scope of the very real threats they pose to the Ukrainian people, all the internet memes about plucky farmers "stealing tanks" not withstanding.

On a personal note, one of my parents and all of my grandparents were born in what is now Ukraine.

My family here has remained in touch with cousins and 2nd cousins who still live in Ukraine.