‘Monsters who burn and plunder': Zelensky attacks Putin's troops

‘Putin has an otherworldy thirst for destruction’

- David Bond

VLADIMIR PUTIN’S troops were today branded “monsters who burn and plunder” as tens of thousands of civilians were desperately trying to flee the besieged city of Mariupol.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Mr Putin’s invasion had a “thirst for destruction that it reminds not of people but of something otherworldly”.

After more than a month of conflict he praised his country’s success in resisting Russia’s plans to seize control of Ukraine in days and insisted his forces would fight “until the end”. His comments came as a humanitarian convoy of 45 buses was due to arrive in Mariupol to evacuate civilians who have been trapped there for weeks after Russian forces laid siege to the city, cutting off food and fuel supplies for around 170,000 people.

In a tweet posted by the International Committee of the Red Cross this morning, the humanitarian group said it had been granted permission to leave Zaporizhzhia and was “now on the move” in order to “ensure safe passage” of those who want to leave Mariupol.

However, previous attempts to rescue the desperate victims of Mr Putin’s bloody assault on the city, which has reportedly led to the deaths of 5,000 civilians, have failed.