Russian forces regroup after explosions in occupied Mariupol

Mayor Vadym Boychenko said this at a briefing in the Media Center.

"After the hits in Mariupol, it is clear that they (the Russian forces – ed.) regrouped and moved their logistics centers and training grounds outside the city, because the city has already become dangerous. That is, they considered it the rear, and now it is the front line. And we can see that the number of military in the city has decreased," said Boychenko.

The mayor emphasized that the situation in Mariupol remains difficult, and that the Russian forces do not stop so-called ‘filtering’ raids among the civilian population.

Explosions have been heard in the city since the end of February, and local residents report that Russian army ammunition depots and military equipment have been hit.

In addition, Boychenko said that in Mariupol, when applying for a job, people are forced to say on camera that the city was destroyed by Ukrainian nationalists.

"What are they doing in Mariupol now? If you want to get the job they offer – to clean something, to dismantle these rubble – you have to swear faith ot them. That is, the camera is turned on and they ask: "What happened in Mariupol, who did it?" And people are forced to say that it was not Russia that did this, but the nationalists of Ukraine," the mayor added.

• Petro Andriushchenko, advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, says that invading Russian forces are using the city and the district as a logistics base