According to Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko, an evacuation convoy starts moving from the seaside town of Berdiansk to Ukrainian-controlled territory.

It is situated 5o miles west of the beleaguered city.

Many of the initial group of people evacuated from the Azovstal steel mill are among those in the convoy.

“Now the column is moving in the direction of Zaporizhzhia. This evacuation is still ongoing, so we provide very limited information,” Boichenko said.

He added, “We expect that it will work, that our residents, those who hid for more than two months on Azovstal, will get to the territory controlled by Ukraine.”

He was less enthusiastic about the people stuck inside the plant.

“Civilians remain at Azovstal. Unfortunately, destruction are being added there. Both enemy artillery and aircraft hit these facilities yesterday,” he exclaimed.

“They are also waiting to be evacuated. More than 200 locals are still hiding in the area. And also there our [military] guys continue to defend Mariupol, our state.”

More than 2,000 residents remain stranded in the Berdiansk area.