Russia’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack on its main target in the Danbas region.
The ministry said 1,026 soldiers from Ukraine’s 36th Marine Brigade had surrendered.
According to the news agency Reuters, the Marines were stationed in the Azovostyle industrial area of Mariupol, and if the area falls into the hands of Russia, full control of Russian forces over Mariupol will be established.
This section between the west and east of the Russian-occupied Mariupol is an important corridor for the supply of troops and supplies. If Russia’s claim is true, this is the first time a major Ukrainian city has fallen to Russian forces since they launched an offensive on February 24.
Ukraine’s general staff said Russian troops were continuing to attack Azovostyle and the port.
A spokesman for Ukraine’s defense ministry said he did not know of any surrenders.
Reuters reporters with pro-Russian forces in Mariupol saw a blaze from Azovostyle on Tuesday.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a staunch supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has called for the surrender of the remaining Ukrainians in Azovostail.
In a telegram post, Kadyrov said, “At the moment, about 200 injured people in Azositale are not receiving any medical help. For them and for everyone else, it would be better to end this meaningless resistance, go home to your family. ”
A picture shown on Russian television shows Ukrainian Marines surrendering at the Ilyich Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol on Tuesday, with many wounded.
Russian television has shown footage of alleged surrendered Ukrainian soldiers marching along a street in Mariupol. One of the soldiers was holding a Ukrainian passport.
