AN OPERATION was under way today for civilians to leave the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, a UN spokesman said. 

“UN confirms that a safe passage operation is ongoing in Azovstal steel plant, in coordination with the ICRC and the parties to the conflict,” spokesman Jens Laerke said.

He added that the convoy to evacuate the civilians had started on Friday, travelled some 230 kilometres and reached the plant in Mariupol yesterday morning, local time.

Russian and Ukrainian figures for the operation have differed.

Russia’s defence ministry said a total of 46 civilians had left in two groups yesterday from the area around the Azovstal plant, the last holdout of Ukrainian forces in the city.

Yesterday, Ukrainian forces guarding the site said that 20 civilians, including children, had left the area. – AFP pic, May 1, 2022.