All civilians have been evacuated from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol and the forces of the "People's Militia of the Donetsk People's Republic" now have a "free hand," the head of the "Donetsk People's Republic" Denis Pushilin told Rossiya 1 TV channel on Wednesday.

The information was not immediately verifiable.

On Tuesday, an aide to Mariupol's mayor said at least 100 civilians remained inside the Azovstal steelworks, in addition to military personnel.