A commander of Ukraine in Mariupol has made a direct appeal to Elon Musk on Wednesday, questioning the world’s richest man to intervene on behalf of those trapped by Russian forces in control of the southern city.
The three-month-old war has destroyed the strategic port, where Ukrainians have sustained a pocket of resistance from within the Azovtsal steelworks following weeks of bloody battle.
Meanwhile, the 36th Separate Marine Brigade commander, Serhiy Volyna, said he created a Twitter account to reach out to Musk. Volyna tweeted at Musk, “People say you come from another planet to teach people to believe in the impossible.”
“Our planets are almost next to each other, as I live where it is nearly impossible to survive. Help us get out of Azovstal to a mediating nation. If not you, then who?”
He called on “every person on the planet Earth” to help ensure Musk saw his appeal.
Earlier this week, Kyiv said that more than 1,000 of its troops, many of them injured, remained in the sprawling Azovstal plant, sheltering in the labyrinth of Soviet-era bunkers and tunnels from the Russians who now control Mariupol.
Women, children as well as the elderly have been evacuated from the besieged city as part of a humanitarian mission coordinated by the United Nations as well as the Red Cross.
As per the company, Twitter, which Musk is seeking to buy in a $44 billion deal, has seen an explosion of users due to the war in Ukraine, with people using the social media service to find news and support.”
Musk, who has more than 92 million followers, has earlier used the platform to challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin to “single combat” over Ukraine.
Last month, the South Africa-born Tesla chief responded to a Ukrainian plea for internet service and providing equipment to help bring connectivity to areas hit by Russian military attacks.