Evacuation of Mariupol fails as Russian forces open fire on Azovstal plant

20.04.2022 19:00

Ukrinform

Russian invaders on April 19 declared a "ceasefire regime" in Mariupol to ensure the safe evacuation of civilians from shelters at the Azovstal steel works, but they began shelling the area of the plant.

Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, said this in a statement posted on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

"Yesterday (April 19), the Russians declared a ceasefire regime to ensure the exit of the civilian population from the shelters at Azovstal. […] But at the time [of expected evacuation] they moved artillery and started shelling the Azovstal area," he wrote.

He noted that under such conditions, the evacuation of civilians was impossible.

"But at the end of the day, [Russian] propaganda showed that 'no one wanted to evacuate because the Ukrainian military did not let them do so'," Andriushchenko said.

He also published a photo from yesterday's shelling showing Russian tanks firing when a "green corridor" was opened.

Photo: Petro Andriushchenko, Telegram