Situation in Mariupol Dire, Residents Lack Food, Electricity, Sputnik Correspondent Reports

MARIUPOL (Sputnik) - The situation in Mariupol is tense with residents lacking food and electricity and have to leave the city amid continued clashes in downtown, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Friday, adding that the main roads out of the city are blocked by barricades.

Mariupol has been a site of intense fighting between the forces of Ukraine and the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in recent weeks. On March 7, the DPR forces said that they had encircled the city and started clearing it of Ukrainian troops and extremist battalions.

Clashes continue in the central part of Mariupol. The sounds of shots, explosions and artillery fire are heard throughout the city. The main roads leading to the city centre are blocked by barricades of made of various equipment and vehicles, the Sputnik correspondent said.

Destroyed houses and a broken car in Mariupol

© Sputnik / Alexey Kudenko

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There is no electricity in the city while the population has run out of provision as there are no food supplies. In addition, almost all the stores are either destroyed or been looted, the correspondent added.

Residents of houses on the outskirts of Mariupol cook food in the courtyard

© Sputnik / Alexey Kudenko

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Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24 to support the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. The Russian Defence Ministry said the operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only.