China News Service, May 17 (Xinhua) According to a comprehensive report on the 17th local time, the Ukrainian military said that the Ukrainian army has completed the "combat mission" of Mariupol and is currently working to evacuate all remaining troops at the last stronghold.
On April 21, local time, thick smoke rose from the Azov Steel Plant in Mariupol, Ukraine.
Reuters said control of Mariupol was finally handed over to Russia after a months-long conflict.
The withdrawal could mark the end of the longest fighting in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and a major defeat for Ukraine.
In the early morning of the 17th local time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video speech that the Ukrainian side hopes to save the lives of its own people as much as possible.
Seriously wounded among the defenders of the Azov steel plant in Mariupol are receiving aid.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Mariar said that on the 16th, hundreds of people, including the seriously wounded, had been evacuated from the Azov Steel Plant.
The Ukrainian military said it was working to evacuate the remaining people.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said on the 16th that after negotiations with representatives of Ukrainian soldiers blocked at the Azov steel plant, the two sides had reached an agreement on the transfer of the wounded.
Azov Steel will go into "silence" during the evacuation of the wounded and open a humanitarian corridor to transport wounded Ukrainian soldiers to hospitals.