Efforts to evacuate Greece’s consul general from Mariupol continue

Athens is continuing efforts to evacuate the country’s consul general Manolis Androulakis from Ukraine’s besieged city of Mariupol.

Russian shelling of the port city prevented a humanitarian convoy from reaching the port city on Thursday, Reuters reported, denting hopes of evacuating trapped civilians increasingly desperate for supplies.

Androulakis, who is the only remaining EU diplomat in Mariupol, is currently sheltering at the building of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

An evacuation will take place only after a partial ceasefire has been agreed to allow humanitarian corridors out of Mariupol, the Foreign Ministry officials said, adding that Athens is trying to maintain contact with both warring sides in the conflict.

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias discussed the issue with the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Mauer on Thursday and with OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid on Wednesday.