The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that a truce had been declared at the Azovstal steelworks, the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the city of Mariupol, in order to evacuate the wounded Ukrainians.

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The Ukrainian authorities did not say anything immediately.

"A regime of silence (of weapons) is currently in effect and an open humanitarian corridor through which wounded Ukrainian soldiers are transferred to medical establishments in Novoazovsk", in territory controlled by Russian and pro-Russian forces, the ministry announced in a statement. communicated.

According to this press release, it is the result of negotiations with the Ukrainian fighters themselves, who are entrenched in a maze of underground passages in this gigantic industrial site.

It does not specify how many people need to be evacuated.

According to the Ukrainian authorities, some 1,000 soldiers, including 600 wounded, are still there.

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky had confirmed on Friday evening "very difficult negotiations" to evacuate seriously injured soldiers and medical personnel from the steelworks.

Women, children and the elderly who had taken refuge on the site were all evacuated at the end of April, thanks to an operation coordinated by the United Nations and the ICRC.

The strategic port city of Mariupol has been totally devastated since the Russian offensive launched on February 24 against Ukraine.