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Reuters
Reuters
Politics

'Save Azovstal!' Relatives of Ukrainian fighters in steel plant plead for help

A woman reacts as relatives of Ukrainian service members who are besieged inside of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol attend a protest to demand a rescue operation, near the presidential palace in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine May 12, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Relatives and supporters of the Ukrainian fighters holed up in the Azovstal steel plant demonstrated in Kyiv on Thursday, pleading for them to be rescued.

Russian forces have been bombarding the Azovstal steelworks in the southern port of Mariupol, the last bastion of Ukrainian defenders in a city now almost completely controlled by Russia after more than two months of a siege.

Many of the civilians holed up at the plant have been evacuated but no deal has been reached with Moscow on allowing out hundreds of fighters, some of whom are wounded.

Five-month pregnant Maria Zimareva, whose husband is a member of the National Guard injured during combat inside the besieged Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol, attends a protest to demand a rescue operation outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine May 12, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Demonstrators, mostly women, marched through central Kyiv, holding banners and chanting, "Save defenders of Mariupol, save Azovstal," "Glory to the heroes of Mariupol," and, "Save the military of Azovstal."

Maria Zimareva, whose relative is among the Azov battalion fighters, said tearfully, "I want all the defenders who are there to return home so that they can continue a normal life with their children and relatives."

People holed up in the steelworks were dying of wounds that could normally be treated, said Tetiana Pogorlova.

Relatives of Ukrainian service members who are besieged inside of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol attend a protest to demand a rescue operation, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 12, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

"Nobody attempts to save them. There is nothing we can do except for gathering at such demonstrations and making demands on our authorities."

Mariupol resident Alina Nesterenko was also at the demonstration in the capital. "The conditions they are in are horrible," she said. "I have no words to describe them. That's why we are here. We are begging, we are pleading in every possible way, we are asking for our loved ones to be saved."

Maria Zimareva, whose brother is a member of the Azov battalion and is inside of the besieged Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol reacts as she attends a protest to demand a rescue operation outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine May 12, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

(Reporting by Abdel Hadi Ramahi and Anna Dabrowska; Writing by Mark Porter; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

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