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The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the people’s militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic have liberated Mariupol.
The remaining nationalists are hiding in the industrial area of the Azovstal steel plant.
A large amount of heavy weaponry and military hardware have been deployed in the city, including tanks, the Smerch and Uragan multiple rocket launcher systems, heavy artillery systems and the Tochka-U missile complexes.
The city has been stocked with missiles, munitions, fuel and lubricants, and food provisions for lengthy hostilities.
The main infrastructure facilities, including the seaport and the waterway, have been mined and blocked with floating cranes.
When the city was surrounded on March 11, there were more than 8 100 troops of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and nationalist units in the city, as well as foreign mercenaries, who formed a large group.
During the operation to liberate the city, over 4 000 of them have been neutralised, 1 478 have surrendered, and the remaining group of over 2 000 has been blocked in the industrial area of the Azovstal plant.
In their resistance efforts, the nationalists used almost all residential buildings as fortified emplacements. Armoured vehicles and artillery were placed on ground floors, and snipers took up positions on upper floors. There were separate units armed with ATGMs as well.
The residents were brought to the middle floors and basements and used as human shields. It was done in almost every block of flats.
When retreating, the Ukrainian army and the nationalist battalions in Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities were using civilians as a cover.
While liberating Mariupol, the Russian army and the people’s militia units from the DPR took every precaution to save civilian lives.
Servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and militants from nationalist battalions were encouraged to lay down their arms. Of course, they were guaranteed life, safety and medical help.
We remained in daily communication with Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine (Irina) Vereshchuk with regard to planned humanitarian acts, which included corridors and transport, both ambulances and buses. Up to 100 such buses and 25 to 30 ambulances were made available per day.
Foreign diplomatic missions got in touch with us in various ways because their nationals were there. By the way, we have been able to free and evacuate many of them from Mariupol as part of these humanitarian initiatives.
We provided official notifications to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the relevant OSCE structures, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international organisations stating the time and place of these initiatives.
Despite the resistance of the fighters and all others, we were able to evacuate 142 711 civilians from Mariupol after you issued instructions to this effect. We freed all hostages at the seaport, including sea crews. Those who took them hostage damaged their communications systems so that they could not get in touch with anyone.
As of today, the Russian Army and the Donetsk People’s Republic’s people’s militia control all of Mariupol, reliably blocking Azovstal territory with what remains of the nationalist forces and foreign mercenaries.
The city is now calm, which allows us to begin efforts to restore order, enable people to return to their homes and bring peaceful life back to the city.
As for those hiding at Azovstal, we have reliably sealed its perimeter, and need three or four days to complete this effort at Azovstal.
You must offer all those who have not laid down their weapons to do so. Russia guarantees them their lives and dignity as per the relevant international legal instruments. All the wounded will get medical assistance.
You successfully completed the combat effort to liberate Mariupol. Let me congratulate you on this occasion, and please convey my congratulations to the troops.
Online Reporter