UN Prepares Team To Evacuate People From Azovstal. Negotiations Underway On Silence Regime In Mariupol

The United Nations (UN) has completed the formation of a team to evacuate civilians from the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol. Now the organization is negotiating with Russia and Ukraine on compliance with the terms of the ceasefire in the city.

The corresponding statement was made by the representative of the UN Secretary General Farhan Haq, RBC-Ukraine reports.

According to him, the UN Humanitarian Affairs Office is preparing a team whose members will coordinate the evacuation of civilians from the territory of Azovstal.

"Today, on Wednesday, we had a discussion with the authorities in Moscow and Kyiv to develop an operational framework for the evacuation of civilians," Farhan Haq said.

He also added that guarantees of a ceasefire in Mariupol and along the evacuation route are extremely important in this matter. The representative of the head of the UN noted that at the moment there are no such agreements.

Farhan Haq said that the evacuation of civilians from Azovstal is an incredibly difficult operation. Its preparation can take a few days, and it is underway right now.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on Tuesday, April 26, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During a conversation with Guterres, Putin agreed that the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) take part in the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.

Recall that last weekend, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russia that in the event of the death of people in Mariupol, Ukraine will withdraw from the negotiation process.