Hundreds of people remain trapped at the Azovstal Steel works, near Mariupol in southern Ukraine. The plant has become the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the city, which has been shelled for weeks.
On Sunday, a spokesperson for humanitarian assistance in the country confirmed that the United Nations and Red Cross (ICRC) are operating to evacuate hundreds of civilians trapped in the plant.
Saviano Abreu, of OCHA in the country, added that both Russian and Ukrainian authorities have agreed that civilians trapped in steel plants for weeks will be evacuated to Zaporizka, which is controlled by the Ukrainians.
According to the Russian military, around 126 people left Mariupol in a convoy over the last weekend from the steel plant.
To ensure the safety of the civilians and humanitarians in the convoy, Abreu mentions that “as the mission is still advancing on, we will not provide further details at this point.”
.@WHO in #Ukraine and partners are on the ground – ready to receive the evacuees from #Mariupol.
Proud to be one @UN and thanking @ICRC. Hope more evacuations will follow pic.twitter.com/AIJJTRI7uF
— WHO Ukraine (@WHOUkraine) May 1, 2022
The World Health Organization also tweeted that they along with other agencies, were “ready to receive the evacuees” and hoping that “more evacuation will follow.”