Ukraine, governor Donetsk: “Russian advance from north and south, life continues but people on the run”

The situation seems “under control”, even if “tension is strong” in Donetsk, the Ukrainian region to which the besieged Mariupol and Kramatorsk belong, where yesterday, after the massacre at the railway station, “an industrial plant and other infrastructures were hit. but fortunately there were no victims “. The Governor of Donetsk, Pavlo Kyrylenko, talks about it with Adnkronos, explaining: “Putin’s army is advancing from the north towards Donetsk, in particular from the border with the Kharkiv oblast and from the south towards Avdiivka, Makiivka, Kransnohorivka, a city bordering occupied Donetsk. Tactical attacks are continuing in this area. Yesterday, for example, there was one on the border with Rutzky, 3 Russian armored vehicles, another military vehicle and two tanks were destroyed “. Despite this, we read in the media that the atmosphere in Donetsk, apart from some cases, appears calm. Is it true? “It is true. Despite the conditions of war, life continues, the shops are open, the public administration works, humanitarian aid arrives through corridors … People understand that it is our land that we must defend”, replies the Governor. “In fact, we know that there have been relocations of Russian military also in our region. We are talking about figures of 30-50 tactical battalions, which correspond to 50 thousand effective Russian units. But we must wait for the offensive to understand exactly how many there are. Perhaps – he adds. – it may sound heavy as a statement but in the conditions in which we find ourselves I would say that the number of people they will enlist, we will count them when they are dead “. Have arms and military reinforcements arrived for the Ukrainian army? “We have received them, but it must be considered that Russia is concentrating all its forces to enter the Donetsk region, to destroy it and conquer the administrative border of the region. We are waiting for the fiercest fighting and we need more. support for air force, anti-missile and anti-tank weapons, “Kyrylenko replies. The scenario is so dramatic that “civilians try to leave the region as soon as possible, in light of what they saw happening in Mariupol. And the regional administration is also encouraging them in this direction. Since February 24 they have been evacuated from Donetsk 240 thousand people and the evacuation continues. We are trying to exploit all the possible ways: buses, trains … In our area there lived 1,648,000 inhabitants, now 400 thousand are left “. But are there also diehards who don’t want to abandon their land? “Yes, it’s true – confirms the Governor – There are people who do not want to leave as in Kramatorsk where 40 thousand still live, before the inhabitants were 200 thousand – he remembers – It is necessary to work to convince them. What we have seen since February 24 is that people do not believe that escalation can affect them. They do not want to leave their homes. Only when the hits of heavy artillery, rocket launchers, bombs arrive, do they change their mind. And try to escape, but now in critical condition “. Are you facing deportations or other abuses on the population? “Every crime perpetrated by the Russian army: looting, mass murder. And in the occupied areas we are witnessing continuous deportations – replies Kyrylenko – In Mariupol, before there were almost 500 thousand people. From the data in my possession it seems that 35 thousand of them were deported, either to the territory controlled by the Russians or directly to Russia “. Speaking of Mariupol, who is in control of the city and at what points? “The city is under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces but the Russians are inside the city. They fight with heavy artillery, tanks and aviation.” Is the surrender of a thousand Ukrainian sailors true as Moscow claims? Can the Azov battalion still hold its own against the Russians? “These figures have not been confirmed – he replies – Russia has also given larger numbers. But we are used to fake news. We know that the 36th Ukrainian navy brigade has joined the Azov battalion and they continue to fight even if in critical conditions” . Where are? “I can’t reveal it, but they are all over the city and they also defend all the critical points.” Will reinforcements arrive? “Mariupol is a critical area. By order of the Ministry of Defense it is not possible to comment on aid to our soldiers should they show up”. “Mariupol, however, no longer exists – says the Governor – It was a modern city. It will be rebuilt from scratch. 90% of the infrastructures have been razed to the ground. Look at the aquifer system: it is destroyed. It will take years to restore it. Like the whole city. . It pains me very much, I have been working for the administration for 3 years and we had tried to make this town a welcoming and modern center. To rebuild it will require at least 10 billion dollars. And the same to rebuild the rest of the Region. But these are low estimates: in a nutshell I can say that there is not a single town in Donetsk that has not been hit by enemy fire “, he concludes. (by Roberta Lanzara)