Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres for his efforts to evacuate Ukrainian citizens from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, Donetsk region, and asked him to assist in removing all the wounded from Azovstal, according to the Ukrainian head of state's website.

"The lives of the people who remain there are in danger. Everyone is important to us. We ask for your help in saving them," the President said during his telephone conversation with Guterres on Wednesday.

Zelensky informed Guterres about the successful completion of the first stage, during which 121 people were evacuated from Azovstal, and expressed hope for a successful continuation of the ongoing evacuation operation.

The President of Ukraine thanked the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which demonstrated the possibility of making progress in the most difficult humanitarian crises.

"The whole world has learned about the role of the UN and the ICRC in this. This has shown that international organizations can be effective," the President said.