Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says 120,000 civilians blocked from leaving Mariupol

(Reuters) – Around 120,000 civilians are blocked from leaving the besieged city of Mariupol, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday.

Responding to remarks by Russia’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu that its forces control most of Mariupol, Zelensky said that Russia controls most of the city, but Ukrainian troops remain in a part of it.

The remainder of Ukrainian troops in Mariupol are now holed up in the Azovstal steel plant from where they are resisting Russian siege.