Russia-Ukraine live updates: Fate of Mariupol fighters in question; U.S. says war entering new phase

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine — As the buses from Mariupol arrived one by one, the shellshocked passengers inside looked exhausted. Barely any of them spoke when the doors opened.

Their escape from the shattered Ukrainian city over which Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory Thursday, even as his advisers acknowledged that thousands of Ukrainian fighters were still holding out there, felt like “a miracle,” one woman said.

“They destroyed everything,” another nodded softly.

“Glory to Ukraine,” a teenager shouted.

The convoy of vehicles, the first to be granted safe passage by Russia in almost two weeks, was meant to include scores of vehicles. As it was, only four buses arrived in the southeastern town of Zaporizhzhia, 140 miles north of Mariupol, the rest held up as night fell by Russian checkpoints along the route, officials said.