The martyr city, a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, which had to surrender at the end of May, after 86 days of siege, remains in the hands of Moscow, which, on the one hand, is destroying it, and on the other hand, filling it with soldiers and military materials. It is reported that tens of thousands of troops are due to arrive in the suburbs, which can be used not only for the defense of territories controlled by the Kremlin, but also for the start of a new offensive on the first anniversary of the war on February 24, writes Avvenire, citing Rador.

“The occupiers are transporting equipment and troops. And they intend to use the so-called new buildings as fortifications,” explained mayor-in-exile Vadym Boychenko, referring to the buildings that the interim administration is erecting in record time to give the appearance of revival of a disfigured and semi-deserted city. where those who remained live in an atmosphere of terror. This is confirmed by the continuous searches of “Mariupol residents, whom the occupiers still consider enemies,” residents write in the chat rooms of Free Ukraine.

They also condemned the “mass checks” of mobile phones in “the search for pro-Ukrainian social groups or Nazi symbols”, as the Russian military repeats. That does not spare the students either.

“The children are in a state of shock after the outbursts that happened in the classrooms in the last hours. It is not clear what they were looking for. The students were intimidated. Lists were made. And now the students are afraid to go to classes,” warns the message transmitted behind the iron curtain erected by the enemy.

Even teachers are subjected to checks for the purpose of intimidation. And on Tuesday, the “Mariupol nightmare” was fueled by “five powerful explosions in a row in the port area, where the occupiers recently deployed military cargo and air defense systems,” said the mayor’s advisor Petro Andrischenko. Today, 90% of the city on the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov has been destroyed by bombing and military clashes.

The part on the left bank no longer exists – it was demolished by the Russians. An operation to systematically remove the horrors of the conflict, which also affects entire neighborhoods on the other side, where “residents no longer even recognize the streets on which they were born or lived.”

It seems that the same fate will befall the city of Bakhum in the Donetsk region, which is now the epicenter of hostilities, like Mariupol in the spring.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Shoigu touted successes on the ground, citing the “advancement” of Moscow’s forces and the fact that weapons supplied by the West are “ground-based”.

The version rejected by Kyiv, in which, indeed, it is about the downing of an enemy attack aircraft. “We oppose attempts to surround the city and break through its defenses,” said President Zelensky. According to the special services, the pressure on the city is coming from three sides, the Ukrainian army has retreated from some points.

“I categorically do not want this war. I am fighting for this to end as soon as possible,” the National Guard soldier admits in a video broadcast from the trenches.

The area is home to the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, which is “recognized” by the government in Moscow, which on Tuesday approved the creation of a new private military organization founded by energy giant Gazprom to address the “security of strategic structures.” which allows companies in the sector to have their own “security group”.

And while there are rumors from the US that US President Biden may visit Poland at the end of the month, a year after the invasion began, tensions are rising between Moscow and Kiev over sending weapons even after Germany, with the Netherlands and Denmark announcing that they will send at least 100 Leopard tanks.

“The United States and its allies,” said Russian Minister Shoigu, “started supplying heavy weapons, openly inviting Ukraine to seize our territories.” These are measures that can lead to an unpredictable level of escalation.”

Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of the NSDC and one of Zelenskyi’s closest people, responded harshly: “No one forbids us to destroy targets on the territory of Russia with Ukrainian-made weapons.”

These words came on the day when Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov resigned due to corruption scandals (he was to be replaced by 37-year-old head of military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov) and when he appointed Ihor Klymenko as the new Minister of Internal Affairs after the death of his predecessor in a helicopter crash in January near Kyiv.