Red Cross team on way to besieged Ukrainian city to help evacuate civilians

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) - The Red Cross said Friday that one of its teams is on its way to the besieged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol to enable the safe passage of civilians amid the Russian war.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) spokesman Ewan Watson told a UN press conference that a convoy of three cars and nine Red Cross staff members is on its way to Mariupol to assist with the safe passage operation.

The Red Cross is in communication with warring Ukrainians and Russians on the final details of how tens of thousands of civilians stranded in the southeastern port city since the war began on Feb. 24 will be evacuated.

Humanitarian groups have been unable to reach Mariupol since Russian forces began bombing the city.

The Red Cross estimates that up to 100,000 civilians may try to evacuate, although it does not have exact figures.

- ‘Extremely complex’

"I do need to stress that this effort has been and remains extremely complex. There are a lot of moving parts, and not all the details are yet in place to ensure that this happens in a safe manner," said Watson.

"Today, we remain hopeful … but it's not yet clear that this will happen today."

He said if it happens, then the Red Cross's role as a "mutual intermediary" will lead the convoy out of Mariupol to another city in Ukraine.

So far, 54 buses are reported to be in the convoy, which could take tens of thousands of civilians away from the city.

The Red Cross was unable to confirm the city where the civilians will be taken since the Ukrainians and Russians must agree on it.

"Our presence puts a humanitarian marker on this movement of people, giving the convoy additional protection and reminding all sides of the civilian, nonmilitary, and humanitarian nature of this operation," said the Red Cross official.

"We are running out of adjectives to describe the horrors that residents in Mariupol have suffered. The situation is horrendous and deteriorating," he said.

Watson said allowing people to leave and letting aid supplies in is now a humanitarian imperative.

"The people of Mariupol have suffered weeks of heavy fighting with dwindling water, food, and medical supplies. Piecing together the safe passage convoy has been and remains extremely complex."

The spokesman underlined that the transfer and evacuation of people in danger should only take place if certain requirements are met, including the "voluntary consent of the people concerned."

According to some reports, Russian troops forced Ukrainian civilians to relocate to areas under their control.

Mariupol's mayor said on Monday that up to 160,000 civilians are stranded in the besieged Ukrainian city.

"Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people in Mariupol. The figure is over 100,000. According to our estimates, around 160,000 civilians are in the city," Vadym Boychenko said.

He described the Russian military's actions as a "genocide of people in Mariupol."

With no electricity, heating, or running water, the mayor said living in Mariupol is impossible.