Russia plans to drop heavy bombs on Azovstal metallurgical plant: Former Ukraine Minister

Anton Gerashchenko, a former deputy minister at the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, has claimed that Russian forces plan to attack Azovstal metallurgical plant using FAB-1000 and FAB-3000 heavy bombs. According to Gerashchenko, Russian armed forces intend to drop heavy bombs to destroy heavy-duty structures of the Azovstal metallurgical plant. The statement of Anton Gerashchenko comes as the Russian military offensive in Ukraine continues for day 54. 

Anton Gerashchenko has claimed that Russian armed forces plan to attack Azovstal metallurgical plant in Ukraine by using bombs that weigh around 1 and 3 tons in weight. According to Gerashchenko, these bombs set out to break through concrete fortifications. He highlighted that Ukrainian troops and families of soldiers live in Azovstal. In addition, Azovstal shelters hundreds of civilians which include children and elderly people. He stressed that these people cannot be evacuated at this point in time. 

Ukrainian soldiers reject Russia's surrender or die ultimatum 

Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol's steel plant have rejected the surrender-or-die deadline from Russia. Russia has estimated that around 2500 troops of the Ukraine army and about 400 foreign mercenaries were present in the Azovstal steel plan which covers over 11 square kilometres, according to AP. The decision of the Ukrainian armed forces comes after Russia had given Ukrainian troops a deadline to surrender and "keep their lives."

However, Ukrainian forces have defied the deadline of Russian forces as they have done with previous deadlines of Moscow. As per the AP report, Mariupol which had a population of 450,000 people prior to the war currently has an estimated 100,000 people remaining in the city without food, water, electricity and heat. Ukraine has estimated that at least 21000 people have been killed during street fighting and bombardment in Mariupol. 

Zelenskyy calls situation in Mariupol 'critical'

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, 16 April, spoke to Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson and his British counterpart Boris Johnson. During his call with Johnson, Zelenskyy informed him about the situation in Mariupol. In the telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the defence and macro-financial support which was agreed to during the visit of Boris Johnson's visit to Ukraine. In his phone-call with Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson, Zelenskyy described the situation in Mariupol "critical." Both sides discussed defence support for Ukraine and called for announcing sanctions against Russia. 

Inputs from AP

Image: AP