The Pope has asked Russia three times to open a humanitarian corridor for Mariupol

Pope Francis has asked the Russian authorities three times to organize a humanitarian corridor for civilians in Mariupol.

This was reported by the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.

Francis first addressed Russia in late March, after several contacts with the Moscow Patriarchate. The second time is in mid-April for Easter, and the third time is last week. The Pope offered to take people by sea on a Vatican ship.

All three times, Russia has refused or gave no security guarantees.

• Russiaʼs full-scale war against Ukraine has been going on for 66 days. During whose time the Kremlin practically destroyed Mariupol and blocked people in the city. Defenders of Mariupol and civilians are at the Azovstal plant, which is subjected to daily devastating bombing.
• On April 20, defenders of Mariupol said they were ready to evacuate the city with the support of a third party. On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine was ready to exchange captured Russian servicemen for people from Mariupol.
• On April 21, Putin ordered Russian troops not to storm the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, but troops continued to attack. There are still no agreements on evacuation and humanitarian corridors.
• On the night of April 28, Russian troops struck almost 50 air strikes on Mariupol and Azovstal. They dropped a lot of phosphorus bombs. In addition, the enemyʼs artillery was constantly working. As a result, a hospital collapsed in the basement of the plant.