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Military operation in Ukraine

Kiev seeking civilian evacuation from Azot for remaining militants, Russian top brass says

A repetition of the Mariupol scenario is clearly being plotted, chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center Mikhail Mizintsev underscored

MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. Ukraine has asked Russia to open a humanitarian corridor for the passage of civilians from the Azot chemicals plant in Severodonetsk to a city it still controls, a senior Russian military official said on Tuesday.

"We consider Ukraine’s request for an alleged civilian evacuation to be an attempt to take out the remaining units" currently encircled in Severodonetsk, said Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, the chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, referring to Kiev’s push for Lisichansk that it still controls. A repetition of the Mariupol scenario is clearly being plotted, he added.

The Russian defense official also said a safe evacuation towards Lisichansk was not possible, as Ukrainian troops on Monday blew up the last remaining bridge to Lisichansk over the Seversky Donets river on instructions from Kiev.

"While retreating from residential areas in Severodonetsk, nationalists took hundreds of civilians from the city to the Azot industrial site to use them as a living shield," Mizintsev said.

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Ukraine Military operation in Ukraine

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