Russia plans evacuations from chemical plant in battleground Ukraine city

Russia said it would establish a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from a chemical plant in Severodonetsk starting Wednesday as Ukrainian forces wage a desperate battle for control of the city.

The industrial hub is under intense bombardment as Russia focuses its offensive on the eastern Donbas region in an effort to seize a swathe of Ukraine.

Moscow's forces have intensified efforts to cut off Ukrainian troops remaining in the city, destroying all three bridges which connect it across a river to the twin city of Lysychansk.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg meanwhile urged allies to send more heavy weapons to Ukraine, and said officials from the alliance would be discussing the subject at talks Wednesday.

About 500 civilians are taking shelter in Severodonetsk's Azot chemical plant, according to the head of the city's administration.

The Russian defence ministry announced a humanitarian corridor would be established on Wednesday for evacuations from the plant, saying it was "guided by the principles of humanity".

Evacuees would be transported to the city of Svatovo in the separatist-held region of Lugansk, Moscow said, urging those holding out at the plant to cease their "senseless resistance".

There was no response from Kyiv to the announcement, and in a video address Tuesday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lamented "painful losses" in the ongoing fighting.

"But we must stay strong. This is our nation... Hanging in there in Donbas is crucial. Donbas is the key to deciding who will dominate in the coming weeks."

Following its February invasion, Russia was repelled from Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, prompting it to focus its offensive on Donbas, a mainly Russian-speaking region...