Ukraine war: Mariupol evacuation stalls, as Russian deadline for surrender passes

Local civilians walk past a tank destroyed during heavy fighting in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 19, 2022. - Copyright AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov

By Euronews with AP, AFP

Published on 20/04/2022 - 06:50•Updated 23:03

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Ukraine says a planned evacuation of civilians from Mariupol didn't work on Wednesday, blaming Russia. Moscow's deadline for Ukrainian troops to surrender expired, as the city's defenders fight on.

Russian forces have continued their new offensive in the east of Ukraine, assaulting cities and towns along a front hundreds of kilometres long.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Russian military was throwing everything it has into the battle, which could be pivotal for control of the country’s eastern industrial heartland.