Ukrainian forces reportedly completed the successful evacuation of women and children from a steel mill in Mariupol after a Russian attack on the plant Saturday.
Ukrainian fighters at Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol evacuated civilians that had been hiding at the mill for weeks after an ongoing assault on the plant by Russian forces, according to The Associated Press. Civilians, including women and children, were completely evacuated prior to the attack, though around 2,000 Ukrainian fighters remain at Azovstal.
“We are not losing hope, we are not stopping. Every day we are looking for some diplomatic option that might work,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said regarding evacuation efforts for remaining Ukrainian fighters inside the steel mill.
Three Ukrainian fighters were reportedly killed during an evacuation attempt on Friday and six others were wounded, the AP noted. A white flag system was used by both Ukrainian and Russian fighters to aid in civilian evacuation.
BREAKING: Ukraine’s deputy prime minister says all women, children and older adults have been evacuated from a Mariupol steel mill long besieged by Russian forces. https://t.co/NTMCVZngbQ
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 7, 2022
“This part of the Mariupol humanitarian operation is over,” Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk reportedly wrote on the Telegram messaging app, Reuters reported.
200 civilians were reportedly trapped at Azovstal, according to an estimate by the city’s mayor Vadym Boychenko on Tuesday, according to Reuters.