Alyona Mazurenko – Monday, 9 May 2022, 20:52
Metropolitan Onufriy, the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, appealed to President Vladimir Putin of Russia to allow the extraction procedure to be carried out to liberate the Ukrainian soldiers defending Mariupol who are still holding the besieged Azovstal plant.
Source: Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate
Quote from Metropolitan Onufriy: “During various wars, the opposing parties have been able to act humanely.
We know that the Russian Federation acted as a mediator on many occasions during the evacuation of encircled combatants in Syria.
In light of this, we hope that as Christians you will agree for the extraction procedure to be carried out to liberate the Ukrainian garrison in Mariupol and will allow all civilians, police officers, border guards, and soldiers who are currently encircled to find safety on Ukrainian-controlled territory or on the territory of third countries.
Many countries consider being able to facilitate this operation an honour. In the name of Christ who has risen, I ask you to choose any of those countries [as a mediator].”
Details: Metropolitan Onufriy asked President Putin to allow everyone – civilians and military – who wish to do so to leave Mariupol.
In his address, Onufriy recalled that one of Putin’s relatives died in the 1942 siege of Leningrad during WWII.
Quote from Onufriy: “Your relatives had known and felt what it was like to be separated from the rest of the country, under relentless bombardment, without food, water, or medicine, when death could find you at any moment: from powerful weapons, from hunger, or from the lack of medical assistance.
This is the state that Mariupol’s defenders and residents are currently in.”
Background:
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On 21 April, Onufriy offered to organise a prayer procession to Mariupol so that the clergy could ensure the evacuation of civilians and the wounded from the Azovstal bunkers.
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Mariupol has been besieged by Russian troops since 1 March. Soldiers defending Mariupol are currently in the bunkers of the Azovstal steel works. Last week, women, children, and elderly people were evacuated from the steel works. The government hopes to evacuate the medics and the wounded next.
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On 3 May, Russian troops resumed their assault on Azovstal soon after some of the civilians had been evacuated from the steel works. On 4 May, Russian occupation forces entered the territory of Azovstal, which until then they had been bombarding and shelling from the outside. Heavy fighting ensued.
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On 6 May, Russian troops broke the ceasefire agreement in Mariupol and opened fire on an evacuation vehicle which was coming to collect civilians from Azovstal, killing 3 Ukrainian soldiers and wounding 6 more.
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On 8 May, President Zelenskyy of Ukraine said that it was still impossible to lift the siege of Mariupol militarily due to the lack of heavy military equipment.
