Ukraine mentioned Thursday Russia was "making an attempt to destroy" its remaining troopers holed up in Mariupol's Azovstal metal plant, with Kyiv's final defenders within the battered metropolis saying Moscow forces have damaged into the enormous manufacturing facility.

"Russian occupiers are specializing in blocking and making an attempt to destroy Ukrainian models within the Azovstal space," Kyiv's military mentioned in an announcement.

"With the assist of plane, Russia resumed the offensive so as to take management of the plant."

The assertion got here as a Russian-announced ceasefire was resulting from start on the besieged plant, the place tons of of Ukrainian troopers and a few civilians have been trapped for weeks.

A commander of the Azov battalion, main the protection of Mariupol, mentioned late on Wednesday that Russian troopers have entered the plant and that there have been "ongoing, bloody battles."

"For 2 days, the enemy has burst into the enclosure of the steelworks," Azov commander Denys Prokopenko mentioned in a video on Telegram.

"The scenario is extraordinarily tough however regardless of this we proceed to execute the order to carry the defence."

He mentioned the Ukrainian models have been "resisting" whereas being outnumbered by the Russians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday requested UN chief Antonio Guterres to assist "save" his models in Azovstal, calling for "the elimination of all of the wounded".

The Ukrainian chief mentioned in a separate video tackle later that there have been nonetheless civilians -- "girls and youngsters" -- caught at Azovstal and that Kyiv was "negotiating" to rescue them.

"It takes time to easily raise individuals out of those underground shelters," he mentioned.

"In present circumstances, we can't use particular gear to clear the particles. Every thing is completed manually."

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko on Thursday referred to as for the continuation of UN- and Pink Cross-led evacuations from the southern port metropolis.

"Now we're combating for the salvation of each particular person, each Mariupol resident," he mentioned on Telegram.

An extra 344 Ukrainians have been evacuated from Mariupol and its environment late on Wednesday.

Combating additionally raged in different elements of jap Ukraine, with the governor of the Donbas area Pavlo Kyrylenko saying no less than 25 civilians have been wounded in an in a single day Russian strike on the town of Kramatorsk.