The Russian Defense informed Vladimir Putin that the entire city of Mariupol was under the control of Russian, DPR and LPR forces. Azovstal, where more than 2,000 Ukrainian fighters are entrenched, is expected to be besieged.
On April 21, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that the forces of the Russian Federation, and the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk (recognized by Moscow) controlled all of Mariupol, exception of the Azovstal industrial site. More than 2,000 Ukrainian fighters are entrenched there, according to information provided by Sergei Shoigu.
Putin halts assault on Azovstal
Describing the “liberation of Mariupol” as a “success”, Vladimir Putin asked to suspend any assault on the Azovstal site, demanding that the area be besieged, on the other hand, so that no one would pass.
According to Sergei Shoigu, more than 142,000 civilians were able to be evacuated from the city despite the opposition of Ukrainian fighters.
On February 24, Vladimir Putin announced the start of a military operation aimed at “demilitarizing” and “denazifying” Ukraine, as well as helping the populations of Donbass, in eastern Ukraine. After being deployed in many parts of Ukrainian territory, Russian forces recently announced the second phase of this intervention, namely a concentration of military effort in the east of the country, which Moscow wishes to “liberate”. Shortly before the launch of the Russian offensive, Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the People’s Republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, which had seceded in 2014, refusing to recognize the kyiv authorities resulting from the coup.
The Russian intervention is denounced as a war of invasion by the Ukrainian government and its Western allies, who have multiplied the sanctions against Russia.
Details to follow…
