Heavy fighting is taking place on the territory of the Azovstal plant, the invaders are using artillery, tanks, ships, and aircraft.

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko announced this during a nationwide information marathon.

“Heavy fighting is taking place on the territory of our Azovstal fortress. Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult because they [Russian forces] are shelling this fortress from heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, and ships,” he said.

He also noted that contact with Mariupol’s defenders has been lost, and at this time, it is not clear what is happening on the territory of the enterprise.

“Unfortunately, today contact with the guys was lost. There is no connection and we cannot understand what is happening there, whether they are safe or not. We were in contact yesterday,” Vadym Boychenko added.

Civilians, including at least 30 children, remain on the territory of the Azovstal plant.

Previously, on May 3, an attempt to charge the territory of the enterprise was reported.

The Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of the Russian presidential administration, had arrived in Mariupol. He is responsible for the domestic policy of the Russian Federation and is also known as the main curator of the occupied territories of Ukraine.

According to the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, his task is to prepare for the “celebrations” on May 9.

According to the plans of Russian leaders, Mariupol should become a center of the celebration, so the city is urgently being cleaned from debris and the bodies in the central streets.