The Azovstal steel plant has become the last defensive fort in the southern city, with Ukrainian forces continuing to defend the site against Russian forces. Ukraine has not said how many troops are stationed at the plant, but Russia has put the number at about 2,000. Russian state media reported that 25 civilians were evacuated from the plant on Saturday, although the deputy commander of Ukrainian forces inside said the number was 20. Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reported that 19 adults and six children had been rescued, but gave no further details. More civilian bodies found in Bucha – Ukraine live updates About 100,000 civilians are still in the city, and up to 1,000 live under a Soviet-era steel plant, according to Ukrainian officials. The successful departure comes as the United Nations continues its work to mediate its own evacuation of civilians from the region. Picture: Two women show on their phones photos of their husbands saying they are fighting inside the steelworks Key developments: • The State Department is investigating reports that a British national was arrested by Russia after a video showed a man in camouflage clothes being interrogated • The family of a former US Marine says he was killed while fighting with Ukrainian forces, who Hollywood star Angelina Jolie appears in the Ukrainian city of Lviv visiting refugees • Vladimir Putin was forced to merge and redeploy exhausted units in Ukraine, say Videos and images from inside the steel plant were shared by two Ukrainians who said their husbands were among the fighters who refused to surrender there. Picture: An unidentified wounded man lying on a mattress inside the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol The video showed unknown men with stained bandages, while others had open wounds or mutilated limbs. The women also said that the medical staff of the skeleton treated at least 600 wounded and recognized their husbands as members of the Azov Constitution of the National Guard of Ukraine. They added that some of the wounds were rotten from gangrene. In the video, the men said that they only eat once a day and share only 1.5 liters of water a day between four people and that supplies inside the besieged facility are running out. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:18 The open-air hospital of Mariupol is said to have been hit The women claimed the video was taken last week in the hallways below the factory. A man without a shirt seemed to be in pain as he described his wounds – two broken ribs, a pierced lung and a dislocated arm “hanging in the flesh”. He said: “I want to say to everyone who sees it: If you do not stop here in Ukraine, it will go further, in Europe.” Subscribe to Ukraine War Calendars on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker The Azov Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard is an experienced volunteer force considered one of the most capable units in Ukraine. On Saturday, Ukrainian forces also fought village by village to stop a Russian advance into the east of the country. Moscow has turned its attention to the area known as Donbas after failing to take control of the capital, Kyiv. ‘Thousands more’ Russian soldiers to be killed in ‘coming weeks’ During his night speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russian troops were “gathering additional forces” to launch new attacks. However, he claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had lost “more than 23,000 troops” so far and that “thousands more would be killed and thousands wounded” in the coming weeks. “Our defenders have already destroyed more than 1,000 Russian tanks, almost 200 Russian planes, almost 2,500 armored fighter jets,” he said. Image: Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia fired missiles at Ukraine nuclear power plants “Of course, the occupiers still have equipment in stock. Yes, they still have missiles to strike our territory. But this war has already weakened Russia so much that they have to design even less (pieces of) military equipment to take part in a parade. in Moscow”. Mr Zelenskyy also spoke of rocket attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region and Odessa. He referred to a rocket attack that destroyed an airport runway in Odessa, which the Ukrainian army said had been carried out by Russian forces. The prime minister is “more committed than ever to ensuring that Putin fails” Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to provide additional military assistance to Ukraine after speaking by telephone with Zelensky. The two leaders discussed Britain’s continued “economic and humanitarian support” for the country, and Mr Johnson is said to have told the president he was “more committed than ever to strengthening Ukraine and ensuring Putin’s failure”. A Downing Street spokesman said they also discussed the situation in Mariupol and the progress of the UN-led civilian evacuation effort. Britain is one of the largest suppliers of weapons to Europe in Ukraine, having already sent more than 5,000 anti-tank missiles, 1,360 anti-aircraft munitions, five air defense systems with more than 100 missiles and 4.5 tonnes of plastic explosives, according to the Ministry of Defense. .
