# Civilians from Mariupol flee Azovstal bunkers in U.N.-led evacuation Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-05-02 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Evacuation of Mariupol Civilians: Ending Siege Ordeal Meta Description: Civilians rescued by the United Nations and International Red Cross from Mariupol bunkers after a brutal siege in Ukraine. Hear their story now! URL: https://financedigest.com/civilians-from-mariupol-flee-azovstal-bunkers-in-u-n-led-evacuationhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-05-01t120936z1lynxnpei400ghrtroptp4ukraine-crisis-mariupol-azovstal-russia-1736815791130-compressed.jpg) BEZIMENNE, Ukraine (Reuters) -Civilians were evacuated on Sunday from the bunkers of Mariupol’s Azovstal steel works after the United Nations and the International Red Cross led a deal to ease the ordeal of the most destructive siege of the war in Ukraine. Russian forces pummelled the port city for nearly two months, turning Mariupol into a wasteland with an unknown death toll and thousands trying to survive without water, sanitation or food. The city is under Russian control but some fighters and civilians have sheltered underground in the Azovstal works – a vast Soviet-era plant founded under Josef Stalin and designed with a labyrinth of bunkers and tunnels to withstand attack. A Reuters photographer saw dozens of civilians arriving on Sunday at a temporary accommodation centre. The United Nations later said that an operation to [evacuate people](https://www.financedigest.com/the-man-who-evacuated-200-people-from-mariupol-in-a-battered-red-van.html "The man who evacuated 200 people from Mariupol in a battered red van") from the steel works had been under way since Friday. The “U.N. confirms that a safe passage operation is ongoing in Azovstal steel plant, in coordination with the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) and the parties to the conflict,” U.N. spokesperson Saviano Abreu said. At this point, and as the operations are underway, we will not [share further details](https://www.financedigest.com/intravascular-ultrasound-devices-market-trends-and-opportunities-by-2031-details-shared-in-report.html "Intravascular Ultrasound Devices Market Trends and Opportunities by 2031 Details Shared in Report"), as it could jeopardize the safety of the civilians and the convoy,” he said. The convoy had travelled 230 kilometres (143 miles) to reach the steel works, the ICRC said. The Reuters photographer saw civilians arriving in the village of Bezimenne in an area of Donetsk under the control of Russia-backed separatists around 30 km (20 miles) east of Mariupol. They were receiving refreshments and care after weeks of suffering. Young children were among those evacuated from the plant – where people cowered underground, huddling together under blankets in the plant’s bunkers and tunnels as the shelling tore their [city apart](https://www.financedigest.com/why-are-there-so-few-apartments-to-rent-in-liverpool-city-centre.html "Why are there so few apartments to rent in Liverpool city centre?"). A first group of 100 evacuees will [arrive in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia on Monday President](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-arrives-in-south-korea-for-talks-with-president-yoon.html "Biden arrives in South Korea for talks with President Yoon") Volodymyr Zelenskiy tweeted. [Ukraine was also working with the United Nations to evacuate other civilians](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-says-first-civilians-killed-in-lviv-fighters-cling-on-in-mariupol.html "Ukraine says first civilians killed in Lviv, fighters cling on in Mariupol") from Azovstal, he said. The operation is (still) ongoing,” Deputy [Prime Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/liz-truss-resigns-after-six-weeks-as-uk-prime-minister.html "Liz Truss resigns after six weeks as UK prime minister") Iryna Vereshchuk said in a video address. Zelenskiy’s Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak [suggested the evacuations could go further than just the civilians holed up in the steel works](https://www.financedigest.com/new-research-suggests-over-13-million-brits-were-inadequately-managed-while-working-remotely.html "NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS OVER 13 MILLION BRITS WERE INADEQUATELY MANAGED WHILE WORKING REMOTELY*"). “This is just the first step, and we will continue to take our civilians and troops out of Mariupol,” he wrote on Telegram. CIVILIANS OF MARIUPOL Outside blue tents in Bezimenne, two children sat looking pensive as they waited, the boy playing with a lighter and heavily armed men looking on. One [woman clasped her hands to her face](https://www.financedigest.com/overcoming-challenges-faced-in-business-from-one-woman-to-another.html "Overcoming challenges faced in business: from one woman to another") in emotion. A young woman reached out to stroke a cat. The civilians Reuters saw had been evacuated in a convoy with [Russian forces](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-pushes-russian-forces-back-restricts-gas-flow-to-europe.html "Ukraine pushes Russian forces back, restricts gas flow to Europe") and vehicles with United Nations symbols. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said after [meeting Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Thursday that intense discussions](https://www.financedigest.com/new-zealand-pm-meets-biden-to-discuss-u-s-indo-pacific-strategy.html "New Zealand PM meets Biden to discuss U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy") were under way to enable the evacuation of Azovstal. [Pope Francis](https://www.financedigest.com/pope-francis-says-hes-deeply-saddened-over-death-of-queen-elizabeth.html "Pope Francis says he’s deeply saddened over death of Queen Elizabeth") on Sunday described Mariupol as “barbarously bombarded and destroyed”, saying the war in Ukraine makes him “suffer and cry” and calling for humanitarian corridors to evacuate people trapped in the Mariupol steelworks. [Russian President Vladimir Putin](https://www.financedigest.com/some-wounded-russian-soldiers-find-compensation-elusive-despite-putins-pledge-sources.html "Some wounded Russian soldiers find compensation elusive, despite Putin’s pledge – sources") calls the invasion launched on Feb. 24 a “special military [operation” that was necessary because the United States was using Ukraine to threaten Russia](https://www.financedigest.com/mcdonalds-to-sell-russia-restaurants-to-local-operator-rebrand.html "McDonald’s to sell Russia restaurants to local operator, rebrand") and Moscow had to defend Russian-speakers against persecution. [Ukraine and the West have dismissed these arguments as a baseless pretext for war](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-grants-citizenship-to-top-russian-journalist-who-denounced-war.html "Ukraine grants citizenship to top Russian journalist who denounced war"), and Kyiv calls Putin’s claims of genocide nonsense. (Reporting by Tom Balmforth, Max Hunder and Alessandra PrenticeEditing by Guy Faulconbridge, Angus MacSwan and Frances Kerry) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---