Ukrainian authorities have confirmed the construction of an escape corridor to the war-torn port city of Mariupol. “Evacuation from occupied Mariupol will start at 11 am from the Port-City mall,” the Ukrainian Mariupol City Council said Saturday on its Telegram channel. Buses to the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhia are intended for women, children and the elderly, the official said.
In recent days, there have been repeated attempts to evacuate civilians from the city. However, these efforts failed several times. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the failure. According to its own statements, Russia now has “full control” over the port city in southeastern Ukraine. However, Ukrainian soldiers and fighters from the nationalist Azov regiment still remain in the vast complex of the Azovstal steelworks. In addition, civilians would be hiding in the factory.