50 civilians able to flee Mariupol steel plant
Ukraine said just 50 civilians were evacuated from a bombed-out steelworks in the city of Mariupol on Friday, accusing Russia of violating a truce intended to allow all those trapped beneath the plant to depart after weeks under siege. Mariupol has endured the most destructive bombardment of the 10-week-old war, and the sprawling Soviet-era Azovstal plant is the last part of the city – a strategic southern port on the Azov Sea – still in the hands of Ukrainian fighters. Ukrainian officials say Russia has stepped up attacks on Azovstal in the hope of seizing it by Monday, when Moscow marks Russia's victory over Nazi Germany in the second world war. UN-brokered evacuations of some of the hundreds of civilians who had taken shelter in a network of tunnels and bunkers beneath the plant began last weekend before being halted by renewed fighting. On Friday afternoon, 50 women, children and elderly people were evacuated from the plant, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said, adding that the operation would continue on Saturday. The Russian side constantly violated a local ceasefire, she said, making the evacuation very slow. Russia confirmed the number of evacuees and plan to continue evacuations on Saturday but did not comment on her accusation. The city's mayor has estimated 200 people remained trapped at the plant with little food or water. Mariupol authorities earlier said Russian forces had fired at a car that was involved in an attempt to evacuate the plant, killing one Ukrainian fighter and wounding six. Russia had no immediate comment. It has previously said humanitarian corridors were in place. (Reuters)