The Russian defense ministry says Ukrainian forces, mostly made up of the neo-Nazi Azov Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard, holed up inside Mariupol’s main metallurgical plant are facing a “catastrophic situation,” calling on them to surrender and survive.
“The Russian armed forces once again offer the nationalist battalions and foreign mercenaries a chance to stop all military activity and to lay down their arms, starting at noon,” the Russian ministry says.
“Everyone who lays down their arms will be guaranteed survival.”
Azov Regiment commander Denys Prokopenko says in a video message that Russia has begun dropping bunker-buster bombs on the Azovstal steel plant where the group is holding out.
Donetsk rebel commander Eduard Basurin says separatist “shock troops” have already launched an assault on the plant with Russian support.
The gutted remains of vehicles are seen at the Illich Iron & Steel Works Metallurgical Plant, the second largest metallurgical enterprise in Ukraine, in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov)
“The Russian Federation is really helping us with this, providing aerial and artillery support,” Russian news agencies quote Basurin as saying.
Basurin also rejects the idea that civilians may still be trapped in the industrial zone.
“There are no civilians there now,” he is quoted as saying.
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Tuesday, April 19, 2022
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