Following over 2 weeks of siege, the humanitarian situation in Mariupol is critical with an estimated 300 000 people stranded in the heavily shelled city, with no access to gas, electricity or heating and food and water supplies running low. Civilians are facing extreme security risks. According to the Ukrainian authorities as many as 2,500 civilians have died so far. 

On 16/03, Russia have bombed a theatre, which served as bomb shelter to some 1,200 civilians. The basement where people were sheltering withstood the attack, with rescuers working to reach the site.

On 15/03, around 20,000 people have fled Mariupol in what is believed to be the biggest evacuation yet from the besieged city. On 16/03, another 4,000 people managed to leave. However, a convoy of cars evacuating Mariupol residents to Zaporozie was attacked by Russian fire. It is still not possible to bring relief items to the city. The EU continues to advocate to urgently establish safe humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians and deliver lifesaving assistance.

The European Commission is also coordinating the delivery of assistance via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to Ukraine, from all 27 Member States and two Participating States.