Civilians continue to be evacuated from ‘base’ Azovstal

Valeria – an employee of the Azovstal Steel Plant complex – was reunited with her son Matvey on May 1 at a shelter in the village of Bezimenne, in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Matvey had previously left Mariupol with his relatives – Photo: REUTERS

This evacuation operation is coordinated by the United Nations (UN) and the International Red Cross. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said about 100 Ukrainian civilians were evacuated from the underground area of ​​the Azovstal Steel Plant complex on May 1, while according to Russia, about 80 people.

The next batch is scheduled to start at 7:00 a.m. on May 2 in the city of Mariupol. The Azovstal Steel Plant complex in the city of Mariupol with its complex underground system is sheltering Ukrainian soldiers who refuse to surrender and civilians.

Russia has issued “surrender or die” ultimatums on several occasions, but recently allowed civilians to leave “this last stronghold of resistance”.

According to Zelensky, the first evacuees will arrive in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on the morning of May 2. The Russian side said those who “wanted to go to the area controlled by Ukraine” were handed over to the United Nations and the Red Cross.

“I haven’t seen the sun for a long time,” said one evacuee from Mariupol when he reached a shelter in the village of Bezimenne, in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Russia’s Sputnik news agency quoted some people who left as saying that about 300 civilians were still trapped here.

On the morning of May 2, CNN quoted a commander of Ukraine in Mariupol as saying that the area of ​​the Azovstal Steel Plant complex continued to be attacked.

Valeria (right) – an employee of the Azovstal Steel Plant complex – was reunited with her sister Aleksandra on May 1 at a shelter in the village of Bezimenne, in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Sister Aleksandra had left Mariupol city before – Photo: REUTERS

Two sisters Valeria (right) – employees of the Azovstal Steel Plant complex, and Aleksandra happily met on May 1 at a temporary shelter in the village of Bezimenne, in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. The city of Mariupol has been besieged since the early days of Russia’s special military operation on February 24 – Photo: REUTERS

People leaving Mariupol arrive at a temporary shelter in Bezimenne in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine on May 1. Photo: REUTERS

Image of people being taken out of the Azovstal Factory underground tunnel in Mariupol in the video broadcast on May 1 – Photo: REUTERS

Evacuees get off buses in Bezimenne, about 30km from Mariupol – Photo: REUTERS

The eyes of a boy on the evacuation bus – Photo: REUTERS

A father reunites with his son in Bezimenne – Photo: REUTERS

Evacuees are brought to a shelter in Bezimenne – Photo: REUTERS