Secretary-General Pleased by Successful Evacuation of Civilians from Ukraine Plant

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

I am pleased that more than 100 civilians have successfully been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, in an operation successfully coordinated by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

I hope the continued coordination with Kyiv and Moscow will lead to more humanitarian pauses that will allow civilians safe passage away from the fighting and aid to reach people where the needs are greatest.