In a public broadcast he said, “I decided to mark our Hero Cities with a special title that already existed. When another invasion was defeated. But a similar invasion. Another invasion. But no less cruel invasion.”
The Ukrainian record is clear “The Siege of Mariupol is an ongoing engagement between Russian along with DPR forces against Ukraine which began on 24 February 2022, as part of the Eastern Ukraine offensive.
The extent of the conditions of the siege of the city has been compared to the Siege of Leningrad during WWII.
Even the title Hero City was first used in Soviet Russia. It was an honor bestowed on the brave Russian cities that withstood the Nazi invasion in World War II.
The irony that Putin continues to claim he is ridding the world of Nazi’s is not lost on the wounded, the starving, and the freezing citizens of the Hero City. And the Russian forces are echoing the atrocities that were committed by Nazi’s in this city.
It is not known how many, if any, of the people at the steel plant will survive. What is certain that their fierce courage and defiance will live forever.
