Ukrainian Official: 5,000 Killed in Mariupol Since Russian Invasion

At least 5,000 people were killed in the besieged southern city of Mariupol since the Russian invasion began, a senior Ukrainian official announced on Monday.

The foreign ministry describes the humanitarian situation in the city as "catastrophic".

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko has stated that around 160,000 people are staying in Ukraine‘s worst-hit city, which is not suitable for living now.

“It is really horrible. The humiliation that every Mariupol resident is facing today due to the Russian occupation is impossible to express in words,” Boichenko said.

“Under fire, our heroic drivers are attempting to get to the places, where residents might be waiting, and they are waiting with the hope that they will have such an opportunity. But, not everything is in our power. Sadly, we are now in the hands of these occupiers here,” he stressed.

The Kremlin has stated that the previous rounds of talks had made little progress.

"So far, we cannot state any significant achievements or breakthroughs," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted.