Heavy fighting resumed in Mariupol, southern Ukraine on Saturday with the advance of the Russian forces in Center of Strategic port of the Sea of Azov city.
In the besieged city, Ukrainian and Russian forces are fighting for giant azovestal steel plant, one of the biggest in Vadim Denisenko, Ukraine’s internal affairs adviser, said Europe’s minister in televised statements on Saturday.
“Now there is a file fight for Azovstal. … I can say that we have lost this economic giant. in fact one of The largest mineral plants in Europe actually destroyedDenisenko said.
Late Friday, Ukrainian officials said Mariupol lost access to the Sea of Azov, which is connected to the much larger Black Sea. Russian Ministry of Defense also On Friday, he announced that the army and its separatist allies had done so made breakthrough in Mariupol and they were now inside city.
In Mariupol, units of Donetsk People’s Republic, with The support of The Russian armed forces are pressing for encirclement and fighting against nationalists in The city The ministry said.
Russian media ports also shared shots of Troops clash with Ukrainian strongholds in Residential areas in The city.
Mayor of The city She confirmed to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that the battles reached the heart of Mariupol, where rescuers were still searching for hundreds of people Trapped under the wreck of bombing theatre.
on time of The attackMariupol city The board said that over 1,000 people They were sheltering in The basement of the theater when it was hit on Wednesday. Council said on Friday one Someone was badly injured, but there was no dead, the only casualty toll given so far. It was not there yet information About possible deaths, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but 130 people They have so far been rescued and some have been “severely injured”.
like russian offensive she has met with Fierce Ukrainian resistance, Moscow increasingly turned to random air and for a long time-range strikes.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian authorities have not noticed any major shifts over The past 24 hours in Presidential Adviser Oleksiy Aristovich said the front-line areas where Ukrainian forces are fighting Russian forces on Saturday.
at online In the video, he said the fighting was still going on and mentioned Mariupol, the southern cities of Mykolaiv, Kherson and the eastern city of Izyum as special hotspots where Russian troops were on The offensive.
Ukrainian media It was reported that Russian forces carried out out large-scale air raid on Mykolaiv, killing At least 40 Ukrainians soldiers at their headquarters.
Overnight, Zelensky accused the Kremlin of Deliberately creating A “humanitarian catastrophe” also resume for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him for direct conversations.
Zelensky said in His Friday night video address to the nation that more from 9000 people They were able to leave Mariupol in The past day and in everyone, more from 180,000 people I managed to escape through the human corridors.
Ukraine hopes to evacuate civilians on Saturday via 10 humanitarian corridors of cities and towns on front line of Fighting with Russian forces, Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshuk also He said.
She said a corridor was agreed upon for trapped city of Mariupol, despite previous authorities’ efforts to evacuate civilians there under a temporary moratorium-fire Mostly failed with Both sides trading blame.
The United Nations Migration Agency says The fighting has displaced nearly 6.5 million people people inside Ukraine, on higher of 3.2 million refugees who Owns already fled the country. Ukraine says Thousands were killed. Human rights at the United Nations office says It has been recorded a total of 816 civilians have been killed and 1,333 injured since the start of the fighting on February 24, although it is only verifiable reports. She believes that the numbers greatly underestimate the actual losses. Ukrainian officials say thousands have been killed.
war now in Its fourth week. Russians military On Saturday, she mentioned that she used latest hypersonic missile for The first time in combat. spokeswoman for Major-General Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defense Ministry, said the Kinzal missiles destroyed Underground warehouse Storage of Ukrainian missiles and aircraft ammunition in West Ivano-Frankivsk region of Ukraine.
The bombing continued on the sides of Kyiv on Friday, during the hail of Missiles fired against Aircraft repair installation at the airport outside the West city of Lviv, near the border with Poland.
Ukraine said it shot down two of six Missiles fired in The attack from the Black Sea and were killed one Person. The early morning strike was the closest one After to the center of Lviv, which has become a crossroads for people Escape from other parts of Ukraine and for Others came in to help or join The fight.
The head of Russian delegation in talks with Ukrainian officials say the parties are close to reaching an agreement on Neutral mode for Ukraine – one of The key Russian demands for her offensive continuous. Vladimir Medinsky said Friday that the two sides also Their differences narrowed on The issue of Ukraine drop its attempt to join NATO.
But Mikhailo Podolak, Zelensky’s advisor, tweeted: “Our positions haven’t changed. STOP-firewithdrawal of Troops and strong security guarantees with concrete formulas.
Russia offensive remains Largely stalled, the United States defense official He said, with About 30 km (20 miles) east of Capital Kyiv And the facing severe resistance. The official added owned by the Russian forces made no more progress in the northeast city of Kharkiv they besieged, and that the Ukrainians were also defense of the north city of Chernihiv.
Britain’s Ministry of Defense said Russia was struggling To provide forward forces”with even in basic Necessities such as food and fuel ‘because of Ukrainian attacks on their supply lines.
