Satellite images of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol show the extent of the destruction the Russian bombardment has had on the complex.
The images from Maxar Technologies, taken on May 12, show the heavily damaged plant from above.
Azovstal has been under constant shelling from Russian forces for about two months.
Prior to evacuation efforts, hundreds of civilians had been sheltering in the complex along with the last remaining Ukrainian defenders of the city.
A Ukrainian officer inside the facility said on Thursday that all the trapped civilians have likely been evacuated, though he added it was difficult to make a full assessment of the situation across the plant given the constant shelling.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Thursday that “very difficult negotiations” are ongoing on the evacuation of seriously wounded fighters from the plant in exchange for Russian prisoners of war.
There are thought to be several hundred soldiers still at Mariupol’s last Ukrainian stronghold.
Their families have sent an emotional appeal to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, urging him to “be a hero” and initiate an extraction procedure for all remaining fighters at the plant.
