Nearby Mariupol, explosions were heard as a base used by the occupiers was struck.

On the morning of Monday, January 6, explosions were heard near Mariupol. It is likely that a location of the Russian army was targeted there.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine referencing the Telegram channel "Resistance of the Azov Sea."

According to the resistance, residents of the village of Pioneer were able to hear the explosions, which is located not far from Mariupol.

"Preliminary reports indicate that there was a strike on the occupiers' location. And it was quite precise. Because ambulances flew to the site of the explosions," the message states.

It is worth reminding that earlier it became known that technical specialists from North Korea were spotted in temporarily occupied Mariupol. They were dressed in Russian military uniforms.

Situation in Mariupol

The occupation of Mariupol began in February 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The city became a symbol of heroic resistance, as Ukrainian defenders held it for over 80 days despite massive airstrikes and artillery bombardments. The fighting was particularly fierce at the Azovstal plant, where the last Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol held their ground under complete blockade and severe resource shortages.

In May 2022, Mariupol was fully brought under the control of Russian forces. The occupiers inflicted extensive destruction on the city, destroying over 90% of residential and critical infrastructure. As a result of the occupation, tens of thousands of civilians lost their lives, and those who remained faced repression, deportation, and an information blockade. Mariupol has turned into an important logistical hub for the Russian military, complicating its liberation.

The occupiers used tactics of starvation and constant bombardments to capture Mariupol. Civilians were left without water, gas, and electricity for several days after the siege, as temperatures dropped below -10°C.