Russia declares full control of Mariupol.
Russia’s Defense Ministry says about three months after the start of the war in Ukraine, Russian forces have taken full control of the city of Mariupol.
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced Saturday morning that Russian forces had taken full control of the city of Mariupol, about three months after the start of the war in Ukraine.
According to Reuters, the ministry said in a statement that Mariupol was completely under Russian control with the surrender of the last remaining Ukrainian force at the Azofestal steel plant and the takeover of it by Russian forces.
The statement added that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had written an official letter informing President Vladimir Putin of the capture of the Azofestal plant and the fall of Mariupol.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said 531 Ukrainian nationalist militants had laid down their arms and surrendered at the Azofestal steel plant on Friday evening, ending the siege of the large industrial zone and giving Russian forces full control, including They took over the underground facilities.
“The last group of Azov battalion fighters surrendered on Friday,” Sputnik quoted Konashenkov as saying. “A total of 2,439 Azov fighters and Ukrainian soldiers hiding in the Azofestal plant have surrendered to Russian forces since May 16.”
Earlier, the British military intelligence service had assessed that Russia, after taking control of Mariupol, began to distribute its forces in the operational areas without sufficient preparation.
