Vladimir Putin declares liberation of Mariupol; orders felicitation of soldiers

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, April 21 declared the success of the military operation in Mariupol and announced that the port city to the south has been liberated. He instructed to honour the Russian troops fighting in the Mariupol to be honoured with state awards.

Putin ordered his defence minister Sergei Shoigu to abolish the assault on the Azovstal industrial zone in Mariupol, labelling it “inexpedient". He asked his defence minister to completely block the Azovstal industrial zone so that "the fly would not fly". Russia’s leader also ordered the suspension of the offensives in Azovstal, saying that it would minimise the Russian soldier casualties. 

"Before lunchtime, or after lunch, Azovstal will be completely under the control of the forces of the Russian Federation," Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Russia`s republic of Chechnya also involved in combat said of the steel plant.

Ukraine’s Azov Regiment declares Russian bombardment 'completely destroyed' Mariupol’s Azovstal plant

Russian president's orders came shortly after the  deputy commander of Ukraine’s Azov Regiment said that Russian bombardment has destroyed Mariupol’s Azovstal plant “almost completely". The plant became the last stronghold of the Ukrainian forces where the Azov Regiment and 36th Marine Brigade continued to defend the besieged city Mariupol and held back the Russian side's victory. 

Russia’s defence minister had offered the Ukrainian forces at the Azovstal plant whom it addressed as the “fighters from nationalist battalions and foreign mercenaries” to lay down weapons to get out alive. He threatened that refusal to do so will mean that Russian troops will “completely destroy” the Mariupol steel plant. The Ukrainian forces, however, did not surrender. 

Head of Russia’s ​​National Defense Management Center, Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev had told the state-affiliated media that the “offer” was made “taking into account the catastrophic situation that has developed at the Azovstal metallurgical plant” and was “also guided by purely humane principles".Ukraine Mariupol's Soviet-era iron- and steelworks plant became the last fortress of the final battle between the Russian and Ukrainian troops. Russia has declared that the city has fallen to its soldiers.

Mariupol which was under intense attack from land, air and sea, was on the brink of surrender as Ukraine's Army stood during the final defence through Russia’s deadline to lay down weapons. Russia said that despite the offer to surrender Ukraine's Army was still fighting in the city until 6 am Moscow time (8:30 am IST).