Mariupol "blockaded" by Russian troops

Early Saturday morning, AFP reported that Ukraine’s strategic port city Mariupol had been “blockaded” by Russia.

According to AFP, the Mayor, Vadim Boychenko, shared on his Telegram account, “For now, we are looking for solutions to humanitarian problems and all possible ways to get Mariupol out of the blockade. Our priority is the establishment of a ceasefire so that we can restore vital infrastructure and set up a humanitarian corridor to bring food and medicine into the city.”

Why is Mariupol important?

Khaleej Times wrote that Mariupol would connect the Russian forces coming in from annexed Crimea and from Donbas, giving an advantage to Russia because of its strategic location. The city has already been bombarded and water and electricity cut off after “ruthless attacks”.