Zaporizhzhia (Ukraine), May 3 (AP) Ukrainian defenders of a steel plant in Mariupol say Russian forces have started to storm the the last pocket of resistance.

The move comes almost two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military not to storm the plant, but rather block it off.

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The deputy commander of the Azov Regiment that is holed up in the Azovstal steel plant confirmed that Russian forces have started to storm the plant on Tuesday.

That comes after some civilians escaped the plant over the weekend in a U.N.-assisted evacuation effort. (AP)

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(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)