Hundreds still trapped in Mariupol’s Azovstal steel works as Russian shelling continues

Fears are growing for hundreds of starving Ukrainian civilians and troops trapped in Mariupol’s vast Azovstal steel works.

Around 100 civilians were successfully evacuated during a brief ceasefire before Vladimir Putin ’s troops again blocked escape routes out of the ruined city with more shelling.

Ukraine ’s deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk said: “The situation has become a sign of a real humanitarian catastrophe.”