Pokrovsk (Ukraine): Russia has claimed to have achieved the biggest success in nearly three months of the war in Ukraine. Russia claims that its troops have completely captured the city of Mariupol in Ukraine. Ukraine has not yet confirmed this. This port city has been completely ruined in this war. Ruined buildings and burnt vehicles are visible all around. More than 20 thousand people are feared to have died here.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin about the Ajovstal steel plant in Mariupol and “totally liberate” the city, according to the AFP news agency. This steel plant became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance. Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians were gathered inside this plant with weapons and were taken in front of Russian soldiers. From the very first day of the attack on Ukraine, Russia was attacking Mariupol. He had captured almost the entire city of Mariupol, but this steel plant was giving him a strong challenge. Due to this, Russian soldiers were not able to advance here.
Russia’s state-run news agency RIA Novosti quoted the ministry as saying that a total of 2,439 Ukrainian fighters hiding at the plant have surrendered since Monday. More than 500 of these fighters surrendered on Friday. These soldiers have been taken prisoner by Russia. Some of these have been taken to distant places. Russian officials have threatened to prosecute some fighters hiding in the steel plant for war crimes, describing them as “Nazis” and criminals.
Military analysts say that Mariupol’s capture of Russia is very symbolic in this war. Mariupol, located in the southernmost part of Ukraine, is connected to the Azov Sea. Russia’s capture of Mariupol has given it a land route from Crimea to eastern Ukraine, ie Donbas. It was from Donbas that Russia first started the war and declared it independent.
In other developments on Friday, Western countries announced further financial assistance of billions of rupees to Ukraine. In addition, the fighting in the Donbas intensified. According to Ukrainian officials, Russian forces attacked a key city in the Luhansk region. Also threw bombs on the main highway. There has also been a Russian attack on a school, which is part of the Donbas area.
