Tens of thousands may have died in Mariupol, Zelenskyy says

“Unfortunately, death doesn’t choose between diasporas,” Zelenskyy said.

Read also: People still live in tents and cook food on fires in captured Mariupol, reports city council

“I think a lot of people died there (in Mariupol). Soon we will know how many, and I’m afraid this number can’t be measured in tens or hundreds. Unfortunately, we are talking about thousands and even tens of thousands of people.”

The president added he doesn’t have an exact number, but it will become clear once the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberate Mariupol. According to him, up to 70% of the city has been destroyed, and there is no information about the condition of partially destroyed buildings.

Read also: Russia issuing ‘passports’ for sham republic to Mariupol residents, says mayoral adviser

“When we liberate towns and small villages with a population of several hundreds to several thousand residents, we usually find a burial place of 500 people or 600 people,” Zelenskyy explained.

“We can only imagine what that casualty rate could mean for a city of half a million.”

Read also: Russian invaders pressgang into army all men aged under 40 in village outside Mariupol

He added that members of the Greek diaspora remained in the occupied city, but there is no information on how many of them have died during the siege and subsequent occupation of Mariupol.

Mariupol has suffered immensely from being besieged by Russian forces in the very first weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Back in March, city authorities estimated that the city was 80-90% destroyed. The city remains largely without power or water supply; its central heating system is inoperable.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine