Russia says it has “liberated” the strategic port city of Mariupol, apart from the sprawling Azovstal steel plant which Ukrainian forces have made their last stronghold.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin on Thursday that the Azovstal steel plant, where Ukrainian forces and hundreds of civilians have been holed up, was “securely blocked” while the rest of the city was “liberated”, which Putin hailed as “success”, according to The Associated Press news agency.
Putin told Shoigu that the military should not storm the site, and blockade the steelworks instead.
“There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities. Block off this … area so that not even a fly can escape,” Putin said during the televised meeting.