Russia-Ukraine live news: Kyiv vows to rescue Mariupol fighters | Russia-Ukraine war News
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledges to continue ‘extremely difficult, but essential’ efforts to evacuate fighters trapped in Azovstal.
- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 300 civilians have been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol.
- He also pledges to continue “extremely difficult, but essential” efforts to rescue fighters trapped in the steel mill.
- The World Health Organisation says it documented 200 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine.
- US President Joe Biden announces new security aid to Ukraine and calls on US legislators to approve more funds for the country.
Here are the latest updates:
Germany to help restore water supply, rebuild houses in Ukraine
Germany has announced an aid package of 63 million euros ($66m) to help rebuild conflict-torn areas in Ukraine.
“We have boosted the immediate aid programme for Ukraine from 122 million to 185 million euros,” said German Development Minister Svenja Schulze. “This will be used to restore the drinking water supply and rebuild destroyed apartments, schools and kindergartens.”
She added, “Where the bombs have stopped falling, Germany will assist with billions for rebuilding.”
‘Hellish reality show’: Trapped Mariupol fighter pleads for help
The commander of a group of soldiers still trapped in a Mariupol steel mill has called for help after the last civilians were evacuated from Azovstal.
Serhiy Volinski, the commander of the 36th marine infantry brigade, said his troops could only now hope for a miracle, “that a higher power find a way to figure out our rescue!”
“It feels like I’ve landed in a hellish reality show in which us soldiers fight for our lives and the whole world watches this interesting episode,” complained Volinski.
“Pain, suffering, hunger, misery, tears, fears, death. It’s all real,” he added, posting a picture of himself in which he is unshaven, bleary-eyed and seems to have an injured nose.
Zelenskyy vows to rescue fighters trapped in Azovstal
Ukraine’s president has vowed to continue the “extremely difficult but essential” efforts to evacuate all those remaining in Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant.
“I want to thank the teams of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations for helping us carry out the first phase of the Azovstal plant evacuation mission,” Zelenskyy said in his night time video address.
“We managed to save more than 300 people, women and children. In fact, we took all civilians out of the Azovstal plant and are now preparing for the second stage of the evacuation mission to evacuate those who are wounded and medics.
“Of course, if everyone fulfills the agreement. Of course, if there are no lies. Of course, we are working on evacuating our military, all the heroes who are defending Mariupol. It is extremely difficult but essential.”
Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Read all the updates from Saturday, May 7 here.
