On December 11, the adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, Petro Adryushchenko, said that Russia has increased its military presence in the city, Kyiv Independent reports.

According to Adryushchenko, an extremely large number of combat helicopters were directed at the Azovstal metallurgical plant.

A second camp for mobilized Russian troops was also established in the city of Yalta, about 35 kilometers from Mariupol.

Mariupol was fully occupied at the end of May, when Russia took full control of the seaport of Azovstal, the last Ukrainian stronghold in the captured port city.

Before the war, about 450,000 people lived in the city.

By the way, satellite photos released by the Maxar company on December 3 showed that Russia has begun construction of a huge military base.

The new U-shaped base is located close to the city center. On the roof you can see the red star of the Russian army and the sign: “From the Russian army for the people of Mariupol.”

Earlier this year, Moscow forces besieged the city for nearly three months, and Ukrainian officials estimated that around 25,000 civilians had died in the shelling, while the UN confirmed 1,348 civilian deaths, but said the actual death toll was “probably several thousands of victims”. above”.