Evacuation of Hundred Ukrainians From Mariupol With Hundreds More Awaiting Rescue

02-05-2022

Myrthe Niemeijer

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence 

On Sunday, around 100 people sheltering at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol have been evacuated. They are expected to arrive in Zaporizhzhia later today. However, Russian shelling continued following the evacuation and hundreds of civilians remain sheltered at Azovstal without a new evacuation plan.  

The evacuation came after various failed attempts to organise a humanitarian corridor in the area that would facilitate safe passage of civilians. After it had been reported last week that Putin agreed to the involvement of the UN and the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) in the evacuation, further details of the current operation have remained largely undisclosed. [1] 

Many of the evacuees had been sheltering at Azovstal for weeks, with food and water running low. Hundreds of civilians and an estimated 500 wounded soldiers still remain inside Azovstal, according to Ukrainian national guard commander Denys Shlega. It is unclear whether and how they will be evacuated.  

Notes:

[1] My previous post about the negotiations regarding the Mariupol evacuation is available here: https://ghrtv.org/russia-in-principle-agrees-to-un-and-icrc-involvement-in-mariupol-evacuations 

Sources and further reading: 

Bachega, H. (2022, May 2). A delicate evacuation operation as hundreds more in steel plant wait for rescue. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-61295448 

Bachega, H. (2022, May 2). Russia resumes shelling of Azovstal, plant defender says. BBC.https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-61295448