Agreement reached to evacuate wounded Ukrainian servicemen from Azovstal, Russia says

An agreement was reached on Monday to evacuate wounded Ukrainian soldiers from the Azovstal steel plant, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

A humanitarian corridor was opened for the evacuation of the wounded from Azovstal, the ministry noted.

"As a result of talks with representatives of the Ukrainian troops that have been blocked at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, an agreement was reached on May 16 to evacuate the wounded," the ministry said.

It added that a "regime of silence" was introduced for the duration of the evacuation and that the Ukrainian soldiers would be taken to a hospital in the nearby town of Novoazovsk.

The ministry added that currently, a ceasefire has been introduced in the area of the plant and a humanitarian corridor has been opened.