The Russian military announced that it has reached an agreement with Ukrainian forces on opening a humanitarian corridor, allowing wounded soldiers to leave the Azovstal factory in the city of Mariupol.
“Agreement on evacuation of wounded soldiers was reached after negotiations with force representatives Ukraine besieged in the Azovstal iron and steel plant in the southern city of Mariupol. The ceasefire will be enforced during the evacuation, the wounded Ukrainian soldier will be transferred to a hospital in the nearby town of Novoazovsk,” the Defense Ministry said. Russia released a statement today.
The Ukrainian military has not commented on the information.
Smoke rises from the Azovstal factory in Mariupol, southern Ukraine, on May 10. Photo: AFP.
The Azovstal Iron and Steel Plant is the last point of resistance for Ukrainian forces in Mariupol. The underground bunker system under the plant has become a entrenched place for members of the Azov Battalion, the nationalist force of the Ukrainian National Guard, since it was besieged by Russia in early March.
Russia has repeatedly called on the Ukrainian soldiers in the factory to lay down their arms and surrender, pledging to guarantee their lives. At the end of April, the Kremlin confirm All injured and sick people will receive medical care if released. However, Ukrainian forces repeatedly rejected the proposal of the Russian side.
Ukraine announced last week that all the women, children and elderly people hiding in the Azovstal steel plant had been successfully evacuated thanks to a humanitarian corridor coordinated by the United Nations and the International Red Cross. Ukraine says that in addition to about 1,000 soldiers, at least 100 civilians remain at the facility.
Department of war in Ukraine. Graphics: Washington Post.
Vu Anh (According to Zvezda)
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