Bloody battles in steel plant

– Ukraine said yesterday Russia was “trying to destroy” its remaining soldiers holed up in Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant, with Kyiv’s last defenders in the battered city saying Moscow forces have broken into the giant factory.

“Russian occupiers are focusing on blocking and trying to destroy Ukrainian units in the Azovstal area,” Kyiv’s army said.

The statement came as a Russian-announced ceasefire was due to begin at the besieged plant, where hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and some civilians have been trapped for weeks.

A commander of the Azov battalion, leading the defence of Mariupol, said Russian soldiers have entered the plant and that there were “ongoing, bloody battles”.

“For two days, the enemy has burst into the enclosure of the steelworks,” Azov commander Denys Prokopenko said.

“The situation is extremely difficult but despite this we continue to execute the order to hold the defence.”

He said the Ukrainian units were “resisting” while being outnumbered by the Russians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday asked UN chief Antonio Guterres to help “save” his units in Azovstal, calling for “the removal of all the wounded”.