Russia will destroy Nato vehicles carrying weapons in Ukraine, minister says

Moscow, May 4 (EFE).- Russia will target and destroy Nato vehicles transporting weapons in Ukraine, the country’s defense ministry Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.

“I want to emphasize that any transport from the Atlantic Alliance that arrives in the country with weapons or means for the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be seen by us as a legitimate target,” Shoigu said during a meeting, according to the Interfax news agency.

The Russian troops will continue their “special military operation” in Ukraine, he said.

“At the moment, together with the militias of the Luhansk and Donetsk people’s republics, they are expanding control of the territories” of both regions.

He said Russian forces had blockaded the area around the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, where dozens of civilians are holed up along with the last remaining Ukrainian forces in the port city.

Shoigu blamed Ukrainian troops of ignoring requests to surrender and release civilians.

Despite efforts by the United Nations and the Red Cross to evacuate civilians from the plant, the UN confirmed on Tuesday that only 101 people, including children and the elderly, had been evacuated from Azovstal. EFE

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