- Title: Russia could deport Azovstal evacuees to its territory - Zelenskiy
- Date: 2nd May 2022
- Summary: BEZIMENNE, UKRAINE (MAY 2, 2022) (REUTERS) COLUMN OF BUSES LED BY RED CROSS VEHICLE PARKED ALONG THE ROAD VARIOUS OF WOMAN AND CHILD EVACUATED FROM AZOVSTAL OUTSIDE THE BUS
- Embargoed: 16th May 2022 17:52
- Keywords: Russia and united nations ceasefire east ukraine mariupol evacuation russo-ukraine war ukraine and United Nations
- Location: KYIV, BEZIMENNE AND MARIUPOL, UKRAINE
- City: KYIV, BEZIMENNE AND MARIUPOL, UKRAINE
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,International/National Security
- Reuters ID: LVA004527602052022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy voiced concern that evacuees from the Azovstal industrial complex could be taken by Russian forces into Russian territory, in an interview with Greek television ERT on Sunday (May 1).
The first evacuees from the ruins of Mariupol's Azovstal steel works who were cowering in underground bunkers from Russian shelling for weeks have arrived in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia on Monday (May 2).
The United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross began an operation coordinated with Ukraine and Russia on April 29 to bring out women, children and the elderly from the steel works.
Russia resumed shelling of the industrial complex on Sunday once the evacuation buses had left the area, an aide to the mayor of Mariupol said.
Zelenskiy said the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had promised him to bring civilians to safety in Ukraine-controlled territory under agreement with Russia.
There was no indication of a plan to pull out the Ukrainian forces holed up there. These are thought to include members of the Azov regiment, the national guard, marines, border guards and other units.
Zelenskiy said that talks to release civilians from the Azovstal steel works compound depend on Russia, but there was "no trust in the Russian Federation".
Zelenskiy said any calls for radicalisation within Ukraine are being closely watched, referring to a question on the Azov battalion, which the Greek journalist said is considered a pro-Nazi group in Greece.
Zelenskiy's address to the Greek parliament in April caused an outrage from opposition parties after a man who identified himself as an ethnic Greek member of Ukraine's ultranationalist Azov battalion appeared on a video.
Mariupol is home to thousands of ethnic Greeks.
(Production: Felix Hoske, Avivit Delgoshen) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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