Ukraine plans evacuation of more civilians from Mariupol, as Russia allows safe passage operation at Azovstal plant  

Ukraine has planned the evacuation of more civilians from Mariupol on Monday, as Russia subscribes to ‘safe passage operation’ facilitated by the United Nations (UN) at the Azovstal steel plant surrounded by Russian forces. Several citizens had earlier been evacuated to safety after weeks of being trapped in the heavy fighting at the steel plant complex.

Ukrainian forces have been in the Azovstal steel plant as the last holdout in the strategic southern port city, which has been surrounded by the Russian forces since the military operations in Ukraine on February 24. Russian President Putin had ordered the forces not to attack the plant but make sure no ’fly leaves the complex.

The United Nations on Sunday revealed that a “safe passage operation” was taking place at the Azovstal plant, which includes a maze of Soviet-era underground tunnels.

Russian ministry had disclosed that “those who wish to leave for areas controlled by the Kyiv regime were handed over to UN and ICRC (Red Cross) representatives.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in a broadcast to the nation said that about 100 civilians have been evacuated from the Azovstal plant. Russia’s defence ministry, however, said that 80 civilians were evacuated including women and children.

Zelensky maintained that the evacuated persons are expected to arrive in Ukraine-controlled Zaporizhzhia on Monday, while more evacuation is planned for same Monday.

Zelensky acknowledged, “For the first time, there were two days of real ceasefire on this territory;” saying, “more than 100 civilians have already been evacuated — women and children first of all.”

The evacuation on Monday, according to the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, was scheduled to commence at 7.00am local time (0400 GMT).

News report from Russian indicated that over 500 more civilians are still trapped in the plant.

While Russian forces surround the plant, residents suffer serious conditions of deprivation, lacking access to food, water, and medicine.

Russian forces sustained their incursion into eastern Ukraine on Sunday, firing rockets into Donetsk and Kharkiv, the regions’ governors cried out.