Taking shelter inside Mariupol’s steelworks

As the torches of the Ukrainian soldiers shone on their pale figures, the children’s faces lit up.

For more than 50 days, hundreds of civilians have been hiding in makeshift living quarters deep inside Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks, with no sunlight, dwindling supplies of food, and missiles raining down around them.

‘‘We all really want to return home, we want to return home alive, we want to see our loved ones,’’ said one young boy, wearing a thick jumper.

But the troops could not provide a safe passage out. Instead, they could only offer sweets, fistbumps and encouraging words.

The footage was filmed on Thursday, when Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Mariupol had been conquered and that the steel complex would be blockaded ‘‘so that not even a fly can get through’’.

But on Saturday, Russian forces changed their tactics, launching more missile strikes and attempting to storm the sprawling site. Communications from inside are now few and far between.

Officials said that an attempt to safely evacuate civilians had been ‘‘thwarted’’ by Russia, who instead tried to bus them into Russiancontrolled territory.

The steelworks is one of the largest in Europe, set over 10 square kilometres, with a maze of underground tunnels and bunkers, and has been home to more than 1000 terrified Mariupol residents since not long after the Russian invasion began on February 24.

One young girl said she left her house with her mother and grandmother on February 27 and sought shelter at the facility.

‘‘After that we saw neither the sky, nor the sun. I really want to get out of here so that it is safe, so that no-one is hurt and live in safety.’’

Inside, a cramped, cold, dark room, large signs saying ‘‘Children’’ in red paint are seen on the walls. One woman, who is not named, is heard saying more than 15 children – from babies to those aged 14 – are sheltering there.

‘‘We want to get out of here as soon as possible,’’ said another girl.

‘‘Thank you to the military, who constantly come to us and bring food. Thank you for your support.’’

The complex has also served as the base for Ukraine’s Azov battalion, which has launched a stoic defence of the city in the face of enormous Russian bombardment. The regiment is controversial, born out of a far-Right movement in 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea.

Now though, they are being portrayed as humanitarians, helping civilians, while fending off the Russian invaders.

Russian forces have besieged and bombarded Mariupol since the early days of the war, leaving a city that is usually home to more than 400,000 people in ruins.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that the US was preparing a so-called ‘‘false flag’’ incident so that it could accuse Russia of using a chemical weapon to kill the last few hundred Ukrainian soldiers defending the steel works.

Western intelligence agencies have previously warned that Moscow would use a ‘‘false flag’’ incident to justify using a chemical, biological or nuclear weapon.

For Russia, the capture of Mariupol is seen as a key step in preparations for any eastern assault since it would free Russian troops up for that new campaign. –