06/08/2022
Elizaveta Nedyal, 6, was killed in a Russian mortar attack on her family’s car as they were trying to flee Mariupol.
The child and her parents spoke Russian, which is very common in the city. This is what her mother wants you to know about Elizaveta and the war.
Her mother told the Kyiv Independent "My daughter died immediately, both my legs were torn off, along with my husband’s right arm.
"We were taken to Mariupol Regional Hospital but my daughter's body was left behind. Due to constant shelling, we could not bury our daughter for 10 days.
"During that time the child was lying in a destroyed car until my relatives found me in the hospital, and I told them where to look for Elizaveta. I thank them for helping to bury my daughter. Due to the fact that I was in intensive care at the time, I could not even attend my daughter’s funeral."
Vladimir Putin's February 24th claim to be rescuing Russian speaking people in Ukraine was one of his many big lies.
It is similar to the early days of WW II when Adolf Hi**er claimed his invasion of the Sudetenland was to rescue the German speaking population. Czechoslovakia was not persecuting German speakers, and Ukraine never discriminated against anyone who spoke Russian. Russia did not save the residents of eastern Ukraine. They instead killed many Russian speaking people, and destroyed the homes, occupations and lives of those who survived.
The war began on February 24th in Mariupol, where about 90% of the residents spoke Russian. Once again, they faced no discrimination, and Russian is even the native language of Ukraine's President Zelensky.
Mariupol underwent a three month-long siege by Russia’s invasion forces which destroyed over 90% of the city. It is one of the 21st century’s worst war crimes.
On February 21, Russia officially recognized both the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) as independent states.
Putin claimed the invasion was to secure their independence but now that lie has been forgotten. His army is raising Russian flags over the conquered territory and they say the area has been annexed by the Kremlin. There is no longer any charade of DPR and LPR flags.
Russia's unprovoked aggression has led to a major humanitarian catastrophe in eastern Ukraine.
Before the war, Mariupol was a thriving and beautiful port city with a population of about 450,000. It was the most developed city in eastern Ukraine, and 18 days ago it was captured by Russia. It's their biggest war victory.
The Kremlin has wanted to control Mariupol to complete a land corridor between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014.
About 25,000 Mariupol residents were killed during the invasion. Russian forces deliberately bombed residential districts and critical infrastructure, while also blocking any efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to residents.
The remaining Mariupol residents face dire challenges, and there is a massive spread of infectious diseases. Another 10,000 could die, and the major fear is cholera.
People begin every day searching for drinking water. Water cannot be used for cooking without boiling it, and that is also difficult because the infrastructure has been destroyed.
There is no electricity, it is difficult to find food, and people are forbidden to leave their neighborhoods. Russia has seized all cars and men are being forced to join Putin's army.
Putin's forces are also busily changing names of cities, towns and streets into the Russian language. They control Mariupol's port and have been using it to steal Ukraine's grain crop and to send metal back to Russia.
Help us protect the children of Ukraine and to bring them to safety. Please donate today at nextnorth.org.
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