Apparently the convoy that left Zaporozhia yesterday bound for Mariupol got as far as Berdyansk — which is decidedly not the direct route. But I guess it’s still trying to get through. Berdyansk is not that far from Mariupol, but shelling today forced them to return to Berdyansk. I read that they’ll try again tomorrow.

It’s getting to the point where it may be too late for any real help. Even if the convoy does make it to Mariupol, the food water and supplies will certainly help (if it can be distributed throughout the city). But the plan was for those buses to evacuate people back to Zaporozhia, and given all the trouble getting in to Mariupol, I can’t imagine it will be any easier trying to leave.

Drones have been highly effective in striking back at the Russian forces in other parts of the country. Can’t they send any to Mariupol? Of course, they should have been sent a week ago, and probably could have made a dent in those batteries shelling the city as well as working to clear an evacuation corridor. If the US and NATO agreed today to help “close the sky” over Ukraine, I don’t think it would come quickly enough to help Mariupol. A few drone strikes might be more feasible.

I’m going to paste the content of this posting from CNN; it says it all: “Resident of Mariupol paints grim picture of situation: ‘This is horror'” —

A resident of the besieged city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine has recorded a video diary of the desperate situation in the city.

The video was recorded Sunday morning on deserted streets and posted to Twitter. It also shows looted shops and people trying to cook outdoors in sub-zero temperatures.

Nearly 2,200 people have been killed in the bombardment of the city. Repeated efforts to get humanitarian aid into the city have so far failed.

Here is what the resident said:

"The town of Mariupol, March 13. The 18th day of the war. The town is besieged…

"There’s no humanitarian aid and will not be. The evacuation of peaceful people is impossible. People are in a devastating situation. Water, food are coming to an end, people are forced to break into shops, in search for necessities, including logs - it’s minus 7 right now. And here’s what we see in every shop.

"Russian military vehicles and also from DNR [the Russian-backed Peoples Republic of Donetsk] are not ashamed of air strikes, the town is under air strikes, and shelling from grads and mortars…

"There are thousands of victims among peaceful civilians … in all parts of the city! I've been on the left side, now I am in Illicha [a district of Mariupol] … It’s like a meat grinder here.

"We feel bitterness, desperation — this land has been soaked with this…

"Russians came here under a reasonable, in their view, proposition, but they sowed despair fear, bitterness … they have taken away our peace … They are killing us … That’s what’s happening … The town has no electricity for 13 days, no heating, water … And the world doesn’t know what’s happening here…

"This is horror … Here’s our good morning…"