‘Heavy fighting’ in Ukraine’s east as Mariupol evacuation delayed

Ukrainian authorities were hoping Monday to evacuate more civilians from the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, as Russia’s offensive in the east of Ukraine continued with “active and heavy” fighting.   

Kyiv said more than 100 civilians were evacuated over the weekend from the sprawling Azovstal plant, the last holdout of Ukrainian forces in Mariupol which has been surrounded by Russian forces since they invaded Ukraine on February 24.   

They were awaited Monday in Ukraine-controlled Zaporizhzhia, where vehicles from UNICEF and other international NGOs were on standby.   

In coordinated efforts between Ukraine, Russia and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), another evacuation had been hoped to start first thing on Monday but by lunchtime, there was no sign of movement.   
Several hundred Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have been sheltering in the maze of Soviet-era underground tunnels underneath the steelworks, many of whom require medical attention. 

 
 “For the first time, there were two days of real ceasefire on this territory. More than 100 civilians have already been evacuated -- women and children first of all,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said late Sunday.   
The Russian armed forces said 46 civilians had left Azovstal on Saturday, and had “voluntarily” decided to stay in the separatist region of Donetsk. 

 
Another 80 got out on Sunday -- of whom 69 left for Kyiv-controlled territory, it said. They were “handed over to UN and ICRC representatives”, the Russian ministry said earlier.   

Mariupol is an important strategic hub connecting the Russian-held southern and eastern parts of Ukraine and has seen some of the worst of the fighting.   

With the Russian siege leaving residents in dire conditions, with little access to food, water and medicine, the city has become emblematic of a war that has uprooted more than 13 million people from their homes and killed thousands.   
KYIV AFP, 2 May, 2022