Everyone women children Elderly civilians were evacuated from the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol, long besieged by Russian forces, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister He said Saturday despite what military The officers said it was an ongoing Russian attack on the factory.
“this part of Operation Mariupol Humanitarian Overbooks Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshuk on Telegram messaging app.
Steel plant in the Soviet era, last to bear in Mariupol for Ukrainian troops appeared as a symbol of Resistance to the broader Russian effort to capture spaces of Eastern and Southern Ukraine in The war lasted 10 weeks.
Under heavy bombardment, fighters and civilians were trapped for weeks in bunkers and deep tunnels that crisscross the site, with Little food, water, or medicine.
Russian forces backed by tanks and artillery again on Saturday to storm Azovstal, Ukraine military He said it up, part of Fierce attack to expel last Ukrainian defenders in strategic port city on Azov sea.
It was Mariupol left in The ruins of weeks of The Russian bombing of the steel plant was largely destroyed. several groups of civilians have left The sprawling complex over The past A week during breaks in Fighting.
Previously on Saturday, Russian Interfax news The agency quoted separatists backed by Moscow in Donetsk in Ukraine region By saying that 50 more people They were evacuated from the besieged steel mills.
However, by 4pm GMT, Reuters reporters had not seen anything sign of they arrival At the reception center in Separatist-controlled area near Mariupol.
The separatists said total of 176 civilians were evacuated from the factory.
evacuation of Civilians from the Azovstal plant – mediated by the United Nations and the ICRC of Red Cross – started last weekend. But they stopped during the week due to renewed fighting.
The city’s mayor estimated earlier this week that 200 civilians are trapped in the plant.
has not been clear after the deputy prime minister statement on Saturday if it is a civilian men They were still in complex.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Late night video title on Friday that Ukraine was also a job on A diplomatic effort to rescue the fortified fighters inside the steel mills. It was not clear how Many fighters remained there.
The fighters vowed not to surrender. Ukrainian officials fear Russian forces want to clear them out by Monday, in the time for Moscow celebrations of The victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory in Mariupol on April 21, ordered the factory closed off called for Ukrainian troops are inside to disarm. But Russia resumed its offensive at a later time on the plant.
asked about plans for Russia celebrates its anniversary on Monday in slash of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Ukraine is controlled by Ukraine on Friday, “It’s time to celebrate Victory Day in Mariupol”.
battle for the East
Moscow describes its actions since February 24 as “special military Operation “Disarmament and liberation of Ukraine of What you call anti-Russian nationalism stirred up by the West. Ukraine and the West say Russia launched a war without provocation.
Mariupol, which lies between the Crimea captured by Moscow in 2014 and parts of Eastern Ukraine seized by Russian-backed separatists yearhe is key to connect up The two regions under the control of Russia and the obstruction of Ukrainian exports.
Ukraine general The staff said on Russian Saturday offensive in Eastern Ukraine aims to establish full control over Donetsk and Luhansk regions and preserve the land passage between these lands and the Crimea.
Russian forces also Settlements bombed in Northeast, near Ukraine second-Larger city Kharkiv. detonated attacks up Three road bridges in to slow down down count-offensive Actions by the Ukrainian forces, and general The staff said.
However, the Russian forces lost control of the village of Tsyrkuny in Kharkiv regionThe military He said it.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that destroyed large stock of military equipment From the United States and Europe countries Near Bohodukhiv . railway station in Kharkiv region.
The Russian forces had hit 18 Ukrainian military Overnight, including three ammunition depots in Dachne, near the southern port city of Odessa Ministry said.
Ukrainian forces on On Saturday, it released footage that they said showed drone strikes on Russian landing ship and building which contained missiles on Zmini (Snake) Island, Spot of the land of the south of Odessa. It did not mention the date of the strike.
Russian air-launched missiles hit two locations Near the Russian border in Sumy, northern Ukraine region on Saturday, said the local governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyi.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the side’s statements about battlefield events.
Drones hit Moldova
lower Russia house of parliament Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin on Saturday accused Washington of coordination military operations in Ukraine, which he said amounts to direct US intervention in military a job against Russia.
US officials said the United States provided intelligence to Ukraine help Addressing the Russian attack, but he denied that this intelligence included accurate targeting data.
since start of The invasion, Washington and the European members of It was provided by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Kyiv with heavy weapons for help It resists Russia, and the Western powers have it also Severe penalties were imposed on Moscow.
However, the United States and its NATO allies have repeatedly said that they will not participate in fighting themselves, in Yes avoid become parties to the conflict.
a senior The Russian commander said last The month Russia planned to take full control of Southern Ukraine and this would improve Russia access To Transnistria, separation region of Moldova.
Pro-Russian separatists in Moldova said on Saturday that Transnistria was hit four times Drones suspected of being at night near the Ukrainian border. Almost two weeks of Similar incidents have been reported in Transnistria raised international The alarm that the Ukraine war could spread over the frontier.
Ukraine has repeatedly denied blaming it for These incidents, saying she believes Russia is launching the attacks to provoke war. Moscow has also denied the blame.
