Russia resumes shelling in Ukraine

KYIV, Ukraine — A Ukrainian military officer says that Russian forces have resumed their shelling of a steel plant in the war-torn port city Mariupol immediately after the partial evacuation of civilians.

Ukrainian National Guard brigade commander Denys Shlega said Sunday in a televised interview that the shelling began as soon as rescue crews ceased evacuating civilians at the Azovstal steel mill.

Shlega says that at least one more round of evacuations is needed to clear civilians from the plant.

He says dozens of small children remain in bunkers below the industrial facilities.

The commander estimates that several hundred civilians still are trapped at the site alongside nearly 500 wounded soldiers and numerous dead bodies.

The plant is the only part of the city not occupied by the Russians.

A video published earlier on Sunday by the Russian defense ministry showed people walking out of the steel plant, including a small group of women accompanied by two pet dogs.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Sunday’s evacuations from Mariupol marked the initiation of a vitally need humanitarian corridor.