More than 100,000 Mariupol residents have no access to water, food, and housing

Since April, more than 100,000 Mariupol residents haven't had access to drinking water and food. Russian forces share water only under conditions the residents will help them clean the rubbles and bury the dead. In addition, the occupying authorities made a decision to demolish houses damaged by shellings which will leave people homeless, given that Russia doesn't offer housing alternatives.

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenkosaysthat occupying forces are de facto holding 100,00 Mariupol residents hostage. According to the mayor, Russian forces tried to establish a drinking water supply to the city involving the Ministry of Emergencies of the so-called DPR.

"But yesterday, the Mariupol residents told us that occupying forces simply do not give out the imported drinking water. Instead, they want the people of Mariupol to dismantle the rubble, collect bodies, bury the dead and help to hide the Russian war crimes. Mariupol people work for water today," told Boychenko.

At the same time, in April Russia showedin its propaganda videos that Russian forces were delivering food aid to the residents —this is not happening now. Since April, Mariupol residents have not had access to food and drinking water.

Adviser to Mayor of Mariupol Petro Andriushchenkoreportedthat the occupying authorities in Mariupol are preparing to demolish houses damaged by shelling: "The occupiers are preparing to demolish most of the buildings that were damaged by their own shelling ... When Mariupol residents ask where they will live, Russian forces answer that it is not in their competence."

According to Andryiushchenko, mobile teams from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Russian service members have been patrolling the survived apartments and people for two days. They warn that when the buildings' demolition begins, the residents will be relocated.

Elderly people are planned to be "compactly placed" in dormitories on Budivelnykiv Avenue, and instead, people involved in work in the Mariupol port, Illich Steel and Iron Works, and in the cleaning of debris will be accommodated in their apartments. Russians give people two weeks to find housing if they do not agree to relocate.

"Thus, Russian forces are implementing two scenarios at the same time: forced deportation to Russia and forced labor of people of working age,"said the mayor's adviser.

What is happening in Mariupol?

At least 84,000 citizens lost their homes due to destruction after the Russian blockade. The exact number of killed Mariupol residents is unknown, but according to preliminary data, up to 22,000 people died in Mariupol. Some residents were forcibly deported to the territory of the unrecognized DPR or Russia.

According to the Ombudsperson's Office, thousands of Mariupol residents who remained in the temporarily occupied city arestarving. The occupiers dismantled the rubble of destroyed buildings andfoundhundreds of dead, which are buried in mass graves.

In the first week of May, with the support of the UN, Ukraine was able to evacuate civilians hiding in the territory of the Azovstal plant blocked by the Russian forces. On May 16, an operation was launched to rescue the defenders of Mariupol, located at Azovstal. So far, all Ukrainian service membershave been deported to the temporarily occupied territories, and Ukrainian authorities expect to exchange them soon.

Despite thousands of casualties and the city's destruction, Russian propagandists and leaders of self-proclaimed "republics" in Donbas come to the city to create a picture of "returning life in the city."