THE “new mayor” of Mariupol, put in place by pro-Russian forces, yesterday announced that about 5,000 civilians have died in the besieged south-eastern city in Ukraine.

“About 60% to 70% of the housing stock have been destroyed or partially destroyed,” said Konstantin Ivashchenko, who was named mayor on Wednesday by Denis Pushilin, leader of the separatists in the breakaway Donetsk region.

Ivashchenko, cited by the Russian TASS news agency, said 250,000 people have left Mariupol.

The quotes are excerpts from an interview that will be published today.

Ukrainian authorities put forward a “conservative” estimate of 5,000 dead, while indicating that there can be “tens of thousands of civilian casualties” in the city, which they say is 90% destroyed.

The Russian army and its separatist allies have been besieging Mariupol for weeks, but are facing fierce Ukrainian resistance.

The humanitarian situation there is catastrophic, according to both sides. – AFP, April 8, 2022.