Armed to the teeth, Chechen f ighters now stalk Mariupol
CHECHEN soldiers have been prowling the shelled-out streets of Mariupol – engaging in fierce firefights as they try to take the besieged city.
The feared troops, armed with machine guns and rocket launchers, have been used as a PR tool in Vladimir Putin’s war, and photos of them in the city suggest the dictator believes he is on the verge of taking it.
Propaganda channels have previously pumped out pictures and videos of the notorious fighters in conquered territories to boost Russian morale.
Some Chechen soldiers are fighting alongside the Russian military, which waged two wars against Chechnya – a Muslim republic in southern Russia – between 1994 and 2000.
Among the Chechen fighters pictured in Mariupol was the regiment commander Zamid Chalaev, who is accused of human rights violations.
Thanks to fierce Ukrainian resistance, Mariupol has held out for over a month despite Russia’s brutal bombardment, which might have killed as many as 20,000 civilians, according to one Ukrainian official.
But Russia finally entered the city centre this week and some observers believe its fall
‘The situation is horrendous’
is imminent. It comes as the invading forces were accused of looting 14 tons of humanitarian aid destined for the southern port – and a convoy of 45 buses bringing medical supplies was allegedly blocked from entering on Thursday night.
Soldiers stopped 12 buses at Berdyansk, west of Mariupol, where they are said to have stolen the equipment. The coaches were supposed to enter Mariupol and pick up civilians.
Petro Andryushchenko, adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, said yesterday: ‘The city remains closed to entry and very dangerous to exit by private transport.
‘Since Thursday, Russian forces have categorically not allowed any humanitarian aid, even in small quantities, into the city.
‘The reasons for such actions are still unclear, but this is disappointing. we do not see a real desire from the Russians to allow Mariupol residents to evacuate to other territory controlled by Ukraine.’
The Red Cross also had a team of three buses travelling to Mariupol yesterday but it was not clear if they had made it last night. ‘The situation is horrendous and deteriorating, and it’s a humanitarian imperative that people be allowed to leave, and aid supplies be allowed in,’ a spokesman said.
Up to 170,000 civilians are still trapped in Mariupol, and refugees have told stories of bodies lining the streets.
The city council said yesterday that it needs $10billion (£7.6billion) to restore local infrastructure and demanded that Russia pays ‘for all their suffering’.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is consolidating and preparing for ‘powerful strikes’ in the east and south Ukraine, including Mariupol.