UK-UKRAINE-CRISIS-MARIUPOL:Ukraine says tens of thousands killed in Mariupol, accuses Russia of abuses
The head of the Russia-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, told Russia’s RIA news agency on Monday that more than 5,000 people may have been killed in Mariupol. He said Ukrainian forces were responsible.
Citing figures from Mariupol’s city administration, Ukraine’s human rights ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova said 33,000 residents of Mariupol had been deported to Russia or territories held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Russia said on Sunday it had “evacuated” 723,000 people from Ukraine since the start of what it called its “special operation.” Moscow denies attacking civilians.
Ukrainian Interior Ministry Adviser Anton Geraschenko said in a televised interview on Monday that Ukrainian “deportees” were kept in guarded sanatoria and holiday camps.