MOSCOW, May 5. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin continued the substantial exchange of opinions on the situation in Ukraine with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett during their phone call Thursday, Kremlin press office said.
"Special attention was paid to humanitarian aspects, including the evacuation of civilians, held captive by nationalist militants, from the Azovstal plant, carried out in cooperation with the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross," the press office said.
The Kremlin added that "Russian forces are still ready to ensure safe exit of civilians."
"As for the militants remaining at Azovstal, Kiev authorities must order them to lay down their weapons," the press office underscored.
On April 21, Putin called an assault on Azovstal inexpedient and ordered to cancel it, ordering Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu to block the industrial area completely. On May 4, Shoigu reported that the remains of the Ukrainian military group are securely blocked along the entire perimeter of Azovstal, and that Russian forces continue their attempts to convince Ukrainian militants to lay down their weapons and to let civilians go. Later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that, while Russian forces do not assault the plant, they do suppress the militants’ attempts to reach firing positions.