Over 100 Mariupol residents came out to DPR forces from basements near Azovstal — source
According to the source, people were hiding in the basement of the entrance building, not on the plant
DONETSK, April 19. /TASS/. A total of 120 civilians hiding in basements around Azovstal plant entrance area came out to Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) forces, a source in DPR forces told TASS Tuesday.
"A total of 120 people. No, [not from the plant], they were hiding in the basement of the entrance building," the source said, adding that the people came out voluntarily.
Previously, the media reported that a humanitarian corridor for civilians was opened near the Azovstal plant - a stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Mariupol. According to DPR Administration head Alexey Nikonorov, nobody opted to use the humanitarian corridor.
Earlier, Russia demanded that Ukraine released civilians that could potentially still be at Azovstal. Russian Armed Forces also opened a humanitarian corridor for surrendered Ukrainian servicemen and nationalist battalion militants.