In a video address, President Zelenskyy stated that a joint evacuation of wounded soldiers and medics from the "Azovstal" plant in Mariupol was being prepared in cooperation with international organizations.
"I thank the teams of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations for helping us carry out the first phase of the "Azovstal" evacuation mission. More than 300 people were saved — women and children. In fact, we removed civilians from "Azovstal". And we are now preparing the second stage of the evacuation mission — the wounded and medics. Of course, if everyone keeps the agreement," the President said.
He stressed that the authorities are working to remove all the military, but this issue is extremely difficult due to the obstacles posed by Russia. The diplomatic way of withdrawing the military is currently being discussed.
- Defenders of the city, who are in the basements of "Azovstal", have repeatedly asked to apply the extraction procedure to them and take them out and the wounded soldiers. At present, only the military and the wounded remain at the plant, which continues to be stormed and shelled by the Russians.
- On April 7, Iryna Vereshchuk, Minister for Reintegration of the Occupied Territories, said that all women, children and the elderly had been evacuated from Azovstal, and Marine Commander Serhiy Volynsky had once again called on the authorities to evacuate Azovstal.