Azovstal steelworks under full Russian control, Zelensky says “evacuation to be complete soon”

The Russian Defence Ministry has reported “liberating the Azovstal area of the Azov regiment soldiers completely.”

“The territory of the Azovstal steel plant where a group of Ukrainian Nazi combatants of the Azov regiment were blocked since 21 April has now beem fully liberated,” reads the ministry’s statement.

The Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has reported “fully liberating the city of Mariupol from the Ukrainian gunmen.” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has partly confirmed this, says Unian.

“All civilians, doctors and heavily wounded combatants have been rescued, the evacuation is still ongoing. I think it will be complete in the next hours,” he said. 

The Russian Defence Ministry reports capturing a total of 2439 Ukrainian soldiers, including the Azov regiment combatants. The final group of 531 men was captured today, the ministry says. 

Denys Prokopenko, the Azov regiment commander, was “evacuated from the Azovstal area in an armoured vehicle due to the hatred from the Mariupol residents caused by his numerous atrocities.” The Russian pro-government media have also reported that Serhiy Volynsky and Sviatoslav Palamar, both high-ranked Ukrainian commanders, have also been captured.