The Russian Ministry of Defense says it expects civilian evacuation channels from the Azovstal steel complex near Mariupol to open on Thursday.

“On May 5th , 6th and 7th , 2022, from 08:00 to 18:00 (Moscow time), in accordance with the decision of the leadership of the Russian Federation, which is based on humane principles, the Russian Armed Forces will open a humanitarian corridor from the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant to evacuate civilians (workers, women and children), whose presence in the underground facilities of the plant was once again announced by the Kyiv authorities,” the Russian Ministry of Defense announced Wednesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described the steel mill where citizens and troops had sought refuge from Russian attacks for two months as a “stronghold of Ukrainian resistance.”

Ukrainian parliament member David Arakhamia told Radio Svoboda on Wednesday that Russian personnel had arrived at the plant’s grounds. Soldiers from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Azov unit continue to claim that Russian forces have had “no success” in storming the factory.

Last Sunday, a coordinated effort by Ukrainian authorities, the United Nations, and the International Committee of the Red Cross succeeded in evacuating more than 100 individuals from the steel complex.

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