Live: Some Ukrainians evacuated from Mariupol steel plant
Issued on:
Some women and children were evacuated from a steel plant that is the last defensive stronghold in the bombed-out ruins of the port city of Mariupol, a Ukrainian official and Russian state news organizations said, but hundreds are believed to remain trapped with little food or water. Follow FRANCE 24’s liveblog for all the latest. All times are in Paris time [GMT+2].
6:30 am: Twenty civilians evacuated from besieged Mariupol plant
At least 20 civilians including several children were able to leave a badly battered steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol on Saturday in what could be the start of a long-awaited, larger evacuation of the last holdout in the Russian-held city.
Earlier efforts at evacuations from the Azovstal steel plant — where local fighters say they and hundreds of civilians are still sheltering in brutal conditions — had been futile.
Ukrainian fighters of the Azov regiment, which has been defending the site, said 20 civilians had left, possibly for the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, about 225 kilometres (140 miles) to the northwest.
Russia’s Tass news agency carried a similar report, though putting the number of evacuees at 25.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)
For all the latest Health News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.