Kremlin-backed media has reported that 25 civilians – including six children under the age of 14 – have been permitted to leave the besieged Mariupol steelworks. Ukrainian soldiers inside the steelworks put the number at 20 women and children. While the Russia claims that there are still 200 people struck in the plant.
Meanwhile, Russia on 24th February launched the war on Ukraine. And, according to the latest updates, Ukraine president Zelenskiy says Ukrainian forces have destroyed about 1,000 Russian tanks, 2,500 armoured vehicles, and almost 200 aircraft. Twenty wounded civilians were able to evacuate from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, and are likely on their way to Zaporizhzhia. This comes as satellite images released today showed that nearly all the buildings of the steel plant had been destroyed. Ukraine carried out a prisoner exchange with Russia, with seven soldiers and seven civilians coming home. One of the soldiers was a woman who is five months pregnant. However, a Russian missile strike on Odesa airport has damaged the runway, rendering it unusable, but there were no casualties from the attack.