How Ukraine President Zelensky failed the people of Mariupol

President of Ukraine Zelensky has failed the people of Mariupol, the threat of an attack by Russia was well known by intelligence agencies of The United States and European NATO countries., yet he was not prepared. With an imminent threat of invasion growing, there was no strategic planning on the part of the Ukrainian President to save or protect the city.  The people of the city have been left on their own since the start of the war, it is clear Zelensky has failed the people of Mariupol.

Mariupol – which was for a short time captured by separatists in 2014 has always been viewed as an essential piece in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s planned invasion. About half a million people live in the city but the real value is in the location. It is a port city, it is openly weak from three sides – to the south, the Sea of Azov, where Russian naval ships patrol, and the land to the east and north is controlled by Russian supported separatists.  It is a jewel in terms of an invasion of Ukraine, Zelensky did no preparation for a coming invasion of the small city.  In a stunning interview with residents of Mariupol just weeks before the war, most residents said they had been no planning at all by local officials for a possible Russian attack.

A nurse from the largest hospital in the city was quoted by Canadian Broadcast, as not believing the hospital needed any more staff or would have to deal with increased causalities.

“What should we prepare for, everything is calm and normal here” she stated.

a 56-year-old Ukrainian man was bewildered that so many residents did not believe Russia would attack Mariupol. He stated that Zelensky and local officials in the city were making literally no war preparations. “There are no special preparations [for a possible attack] at all,” Gueik said. “There has been some training in terms of evacuation procedures to bomb shelters, but nothing specific recently.”

But the most likely possible target was indeed Mariupol according to NATO and American military experts familiar with the region, which has a population of 500,000 and sits in a highly strategic position.  How did Zelensky leave these people so unprepared?

If captured, Putin would be able to create a land corridor between Russia, the separatist territories, and annexed Crimea.

Zelensky is not a war strategist, he stubbornly left the people of Mariupol unprepared for the coming attack on the small city. Thankful there were thousands of people that did flee the port city before the Russians arrived, but Canadian officials estimate that about 60% of the citizens remained. The Ukrainian President is winning praise all over the world for the valiant fight his citizens are engaged in but was it a smart move to fight the Russians?

Wouldn’t it have been better to negotiate with Russia, even if it meant losing a lot in the negotiations? The details could have been dragged out for months while Zelensky sought help from NATO, but this was not the path that was taken. Zelensky seems quite bullheaded in his approach to war, his message to America is clear “send missiles, billions of dollars and close the skies with a no-fly zone., we will never give up” The approach makes for good TV, but it is not smart when dealing with a world power as Russia. Sadly, the little city of Mariupol is in ruins, the people suffered due to Zelensky’s lack of military planning.  He could have saved thousands with a mass early evacuation.