Ukraine loses contact with soldiers at Azovstal plant

Kyiv, May 4 (EFE).- Ukrainian authorities have lost communications with soldiers staging a last stand at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol amid a renewed Russian offensive, the mayor of the devastated city in southeastern Ukraine said Wednesday.

“Today there is no connection with the guys (the Ukrainian soldiers), there is no connection to understand what is happening,” Vadym Boychenko said on local TV.

“Yesterday there was a connection with them, but not today,” he added.

He said Russia was attacking the steel plant, where the last Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol are holed up, with heavy artillery, tanks, aviation and naval ships.

A Red Cross and United Nations convoy on Tuesday helped evacuate 101 people from the steel plant in Mariupol, although Boychenko estimates that an estimated 200 civilians remain there along with the soldiers.

Russian authorities on Wednesday said they had blockaded the Azovstal plant. EFE

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