Some Ukrainians evacuated from ruins of Mariupol steel plant

Kharkiv (Ukraine): Some women and children were evacuated from a steel plant that is the last defensive stronghold in the bombed-out ruins of the port city of Mariupol, a Ukrainian official and Russian state news organizations said, but hundreds are believed to remain trapped with little food or water.

The United Nations was working to broker an evacuation of the up to 1,000 civilians living beneath the sprawling Soviet-era Azovstal plant after numerous previous attempts failed. Ukraine has not said how many fighters are also in the plant, the only part of Mariupol not occupied by Russian forces, but Russia put the number at about 2,000. An estimated 100,000 civilians remain in the city.

Russian forces have embarked on a major military operation to seize significant parts of southern and eastern Ukraine, the country's industrial heartland. Ukrainian forces fought village by village Saturday to hold back the Russian advance.

Russia's RIA Novosti news agency said Saturday that 19 adults and six children were brought out from the steelworks, but gave no further details. A top official with the Azov Regiment, the Ukrainian unit defending the plant, said 20 civilians were evacuated during a cease-fire, though it was not clear if he was referring to the same group. There was no confirmation from the UN.

These are women and children, Sviatoslav Palamar said in a video posted on the regiment's Telegram channel. He also called for the evacuation of the wounded: We don't know why they are not taken away and their evacuation to the territory controlled by Ukraine is not being discussed.