Ukraine Russia Conflict: Around 90% of buildings in Mariupol have been destroyed says Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday confirmed that around 90% of buildings in Mariupol have been destroyed. He said “95% of all buildings, 95% were destroyed in Mariupol. It is one of the largest cities not only in Ukraine but also in Europe. 500 thousand inhabitants. 500 thousand people!"

“No one knows how many of them were killed. Nobody knows how many people are left alive" he added. 

Zelensky further said “tens, hundreds of thousands of people” have already been evacuated from Mariupol, but Ukrainians also understand that “tens of thousands of people may have died in Mariupol.”

Russia launched a war on Ukraine on February 24. However, according to the latest updates, Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy has praised his people’s bravery and resolve on the 50th day of war, calling Russia’s invasion “absurd” and “suicidal” in his latest national address. “We have withstood 50 days already. 50 days of Russian invasion, although the occupiers gave us a maximum of five,” he said. The Russian flagship cruiser Moskva has sunk in the Black Sea off southern Ukraine, according to Russia’s defence ministry. It is still unclear whether the ship was hit by Ukrainian weaponry. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin may resort to using a tactical or low-yield nuclear weapon in light of military setbacks in the invasion of Ukraine, the CIA director, William Burns, has said. During a speech in Atlanta, Burns said: “Given the potential desperation of President Putin and the Russian leadership … none of us can take lightly the threat posed by a potential resort to tactical nuclear weapons or low-yield nuclear weapons.” The Kremlin placed Russian nuclear forces on high alert shortly after the assault began on 24 February.