Ukraine Claims Ongoing Struggle to Reach Trapped Civilians as Humanitarian Aid Is Stalled

A convoy of 42 buses managed to evacuate 2,000 people from the besieged city of Mariupol, marking a rare success in Ukraine’s efforts to rescue civilians. The buses, organized by the Ukrainian government and escorted by the Red Cross, traveled from the nearby Russian-occupied city of Berdiansk to Zaporizhzhia, a Ukrainian-controlled city. This marks a slight breakthrough after several previous failed evacuation attempts. However, the fate of the over 100,000 civilians still trapped in Mariupol remains uncertain, as Russia continues to block aid and evacuation convoys from reaching the city itself. On top of this, 631 people managed to flee Mariupol in private cars on Thursday night, offering a glimmer of hope for some, but the overall humanitarian situation remains dire.