Russia told Ukrainian forces fighting in Mariupol to lay down their arms this morning to save their livesNevertheless there is no information on any activity three hours after the ultimatum came into force at 06:00 (Greek time) in this strategically important port in southeastern Ukraine.
Air alarm sirens sounded across the country early this morning, which happens regularly and, according to a morning report by the Ukrainian armed forces, the Russian air raids on Mariupol continued and there were “aggressive operations near the port».
Local media reported that it happened an explosion in Kyiv without giving details.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that his troops cleared the urban area of Mariupol and only a small detachment of Ukrainian fighters remained yesterday in a giant steel factory.
Moscow’s claim that it has almost complete control of Mariupol cannot be confirmed by an independent source. If confirmed, Mariupol would be the first major city to be occupied by Russian forces since the invasion began on February 24.
«Taking into account the catastrophic situation at the Azovstal metallurgical plant and guided by purely humanitarian principles, the Russian Armed Forces offer the fighters of the nationalist battalions and foreign mercenaries the opportunity to stop hostilities from 06:00 and their weapons“, Said in a statement the Ministry of Defense.
«Everyone who lays down their arms has a guarantee that their lives will not be in danger», the Russian ministry added, adding that the fighters could leave the factory until 10 a.m. without weapons or ammunition.
There was no immediate response from Kyiv.
The Azovstal factory, Described as a fortress within a city, it is located in an industrial area on the shores of the Sea of ​​Azov and covers more than 11 square kilometers, with thousands of buildings, blast furnaces and railways.
The city’s defenders include Ukrainian Marines, motorized brigades, a National Guard brigade, and the Azov Regiment., a militia created by far-right nationalists and later incorporated into the National Guard. It was not immediately known how many fighters were inside the steel industry.
«The situation is very difficultIn Mariupol, he said President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Ukrainska Pravda news portal. «Our soldiers are excluded, the wounded are excluded. There is a humanitarian crisis … In any case, the children are defending themselves».
As Moscow unleashed long-range missile attacks across the country after sinking its flagship in the Black Sea, announced that its warplanes struck yesterday, Saturday, a tank repair factory in Kyiv. An explosion was heard and smoke rose over the southeastern Darnitsky district. The mayor said at least one person had been killed and medical staff were fighting to save others.
The Ukrainian armed forces announced that Russian warplanes take off from Lviv region near the Polish border and four cruise missiles were shot down by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense.
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