Ukraine: Dozens of civilians evacuated from Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol

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Dozens of civilians have been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, even as the plant continues to be hit by ground and air attacks from Russian forces.

Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, said that 50 civilians had been taken to safety and that the evacuation operation would continue today to coincide with a day-time ceasefire announced by Russia earlier this week.

However, Ukraine's armed forces accused Moscow of continuing its assault on the plant.

The self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) said that around 50 civilians had been evacuated on Friday to a reception centre in nearby Bezimenne, in the pro-Russian separatist DPR.

Scores of civilians have been trapped for weeks alongside the remaining Ukrainian forces holding out in the bombed-out plant.

It comes as Russia prepares to hold a military parade on Monday marking its victory in the Second World War.