Twenty civilians, including women and children, have been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol in eastern Ukraine, Ukrinform news agency has reported, quoting Azov Battalion Deputy Commander Sviatoslav Palamar.

"They have been transferred to a suitable place, and we hope that they will be evacuated to Zaporizhzhia, on territory controlled by Ukraine," Ukrinform quoted the commander as saying.

Russian media confirmed the evacuation late on Saturday but gave a different number of evacuees.

A TASS correspondent reported that 25 people, including six children under 14 years old, came out of the plant. However, Russian media did not say where they were taken.