About 100 civilians sheltering in the besieged Mariupol steelworks have been allowed to evacuate following weeks of attacks from invading Russian forces. The Azovstal steelworks became the last stronghold for Ukrainian fighters in the port city with 1,000 civilians and 2,000 Ukrainian fighters thought to be sheltering in bunkers and tunnels underneath the plant. The UN confirmed a 'safe-passage operation' to evacuate civilians had begun in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross Red Cross, Russia and Ukraine.
‘Safe-passage operation’ evacuates 100 people from besieged Mariupol steelworks