Relatives of fighters in Ukraine steel plant plead for help, Kyiv working on rescue

A woman reacts as relatives of Ukrainian service members who are besieged inside of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol attend a protest to demand a rescue operation, near the presidential palace in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine May 12, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

(Reuters) -Relatives and supporters of Ukrainian fighters in the Azovstal steel plant on Thursday called for fresh efforts to save them as Kyiv said new talks were underway with Moscow on a plan to rescue badly wounded servicemen.

Russian forces have been bombarding the steelworks in the southern port of Mariupol, the last bastion of Ukrainian defenders in a city almost completely controlled by Russia after more than two months of a siege.