US will give more $150 million in weapons to Ukraine

US will give more $150 million in weapons to Ukraine. 

Ukraine announced on Friday that 50 citizens were evacuated from a bombed-out steelworks in Mariupol, accusing Russia of breaking a truce meant to allow dozens more trapped beneath the factory to leave after weeks of siege.

The massive Soviet-era Azovstal facility is the remaining sector of Mariupol – a vital southern port on the Azov Sea – still in Ukrainian forces’ hands after the most damaging bombardment of the 10-week-old war.

In a late-night video message, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was embarking on a diplomatic attempt to save defenders trapped within the steelworks. He claimed, “Influential intermediates are involved, influential states,” but didn’t elaborate.

Hundreds of residents who had taken refuge in a network of tunnels and bunkers beneath the plant were evacuated last weekend under UN supervision. However, renewed violence halted them over the week.

50 women, children, and the elderly were evacuated from the plant on Friday afternoon, according to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, who added that the operation would continue on Saturday. 

But, according to her, the Russian side consistently broke a local truce, making the evacuation extremely slow.

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“The humanitarian effort at Azovstal will continue on May 7,” Russia added, confirming the number of evacuees.

Earlier this week, the city mayor claimed that 200 people were detained with minimal food or water at the factory. However, it’s uncertain how many people are still alive.

Russia was attempting to finish off forces inside the facility by Monday as a gift for President Vladimir Putin, according to Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych, in time for Moscow’s commemorations of the former Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War Two.