Putin Nixes Pope Francis' Plea To Open Mariupol To Humanitarian Corridors

Pope Francis tried three times to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol, but the Kremlin claimed Putin rejected the plea thrice as he “cannot guarantee security,” Italian newspaper Il Messaggero reported.

Photo Insert: Pope Francis and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting back in 2015

Around 100,000 remain trapped in the bombed-out Mariupol with little food, water, or medicine, and only 20 civilians were evacuated from Azovstal in the occupied city.

Azov Deputy Commander Sviatoslav Palamar said the women and children they had rescued from under the rubble of the Azovstal plant were evacuated on April 30 and are heading to Ukrainian-controlled territory. The wounded soldiers were not evacuated.

Ukraine also sneered at Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s claim that lifting sanctions were discussed at Ukraine-Russia talks.

Advisor to the presidential administration Mykhailo Podoliak said that contrary to Lavrov’s recent statement, the Ukrainian and Russian negotiators have not discussed lifting international sanctions against Russia, as well as the “denazification” of Ukraine and the status of the Russian language in the country.

The Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate says Putin needs to demonstrate some kind of “success” by May 9, so he will try to hold a fake “referendum” to proclaim a proxy state in Kherson.

Ongoing fighting in Kherson Oblast and civil protests in the regional capital are set to ruin those plans, Ukraine Daily reported.

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