Russia's defense ministry on Saturday announced completion of an operation to evacuate civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

In an online posting, the ministry said a total of 51 people had been rescued since the three-day operation started on Thursday, including one person on Saturday. The 51 comprised of 18 men, 22 women and 11 children, it added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a late night address that more than 300 civilians had been rescued from the plant. Authorities would now focus on evacuating the wounded and medics, and helping residents elsewhere in Mariupol and surrounding settlements to safety, he said.