Russia Continues to Systematically Destroy Azovstal Plant Where Civilians Take Shelter

Last night, the Russian forces launched 35 airstrikes on the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, where Ukrainian defenders of the city and civilians are taking shelter.

One of the workshops caught fire as a result of powerful strikes. The blasts affected civilians who are now trapped under rubble, the Azov Special Operations Detachment posted on Telegram.

Ukrainian servicemen are providing first aid and making efforts to remove civilians from the rubble.

As Mariupol mayor’s adviser Petro Andriushchenko reported, the “green corridor” for the people at Azovstal turned out to be another trap as the occupiers not only continued shelling the plant but also fired on the conditional corridor to the exit.

“In fact, it looks like this: an offer to surrender and leave within 10-15 minutes sounds from large loudspeakers in an armoured vehicle. After a short pause, artillery is fired on the residential area within the boundaries of the conditional exit from Azovstal. You can see the result of the ‘green corridor’ on a photo,” he explained.

Andriushchenko also said that the Russians continued to loot Mariupol museums. The invaders seized the archives and cultural funds of the establishments, explaining that they allegedly want to take everything to Donetsk and then, after evaluation, “send the most valuable items to an exhibition in Russia.”

As a reminder, the defenders of Mariupol – the Azov Regiment, marines, law enforcement officers, border guards – and civilians, including the wounded, remain in the underground facilities at the Azovstal plant.

Bohdan Marusyak