Russia's defence ministry has told the Ukrainian forces still fighting in the besieged southern port of Mariupol to lay down their arms starting 6 a.m. Moscow time (0300 GMT) on Sunday to save their lives.
Russia's earlier claim that its troops had cleared the urban area of Mariupol, scene of the war's heaviest fighting and worst humanitarian catastrophe, could not be independently verified. It would be the first major city to have fallen to Russian forces since the Feb. 24 invasion.
The start of the surrender would be indicated by raising flags, the ministry said: "From the Russian side - red; from the Ukrainian side - white, around the whole perimeter of Azovstal."Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia on Saturday of "deliberately trying to destroy everyone" in Mariupol and said his government was in touch with the defenders. But he did not address Moscow's claim that Ukrainian forces were no longer in urban districts.
"But finding this solution is extremely difficult. Until now, there has not been a 100% realistic option." The Russian defence ministry said also that it has "evacuated" 168,000 people out of Mariupol so far. Ukraine has said that thousands have been forcefully departed.
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