Russians breach Azovstal steel plant, which remains under heavy fire
The besieged Azovstal steel plant where hundreds of civilians and Ukrainian fighters are believed to be sheltering remains under heavy fire, according to the Ukrainian military.
Late Wednesday, Ukrainian commander Denis Prokopenko said defenders inside the plant are fighting “difficult, bloody battles” with Russian troops and a member of parliament said the Russians had been able to enter the plant for the first time, according to Reuters.
“The extent of this Russian advance remains unclear, and Russian forces likely face further costly fighting if they intend to clear the entire facility,” the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War said late Wednesday. “The Kremlin likely hopes that the successful capture of Azovstal through a ground assault will cement the Kremlin’s growing effort to claim complete control of Mariupol by May 9, [Russia's annual Victory Day] with Russian propagandists recently arriving in the city to set conditions for further claims of a Russian victory.”
Around 200 civilians are believed to be trapped inside the plant in the destroyed port city of Mariupol along with hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers.
Azovstal is the last Ukrainian holdout in the city and Russian President Vladimir Putin already claimed victory there late last month.
Russia had promised Wednesday that starting Thursday through Saturday civilians would be allowed to evacuate the plant but fighting continued overnight. A number of civilians were able to evacuate earlier this week.
Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and “heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.”
“Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult,” he said.
A Russian official earlier denied that troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian unit inside said Russian soldiers had pushed into the mill's territory.
“With the support of aircraft, the enemy resumed the offensive in order to take control of the plant,” the General Staff in Kyiv said, adding that the Russians were “trying to destroy Ukrainian units.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Posted by Brie Stimson
