Russia announced the surrender of roughly 700 more Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol, as the US became the latest Western country to reopen its Kyiv embassy after a three-month shutdown.
The eventual conclusion of Europe’s bloodiest conflict in decades remained undetermined more than a day after Ukraine announced it had ordered its military in Mariupol to stand down.
Officials from Ukraine have refused to speak publicly on the fate of fighters who held out at the Azovstal steelworks plant during the Russian takeover of Mariupol.
At a press conference, military spokesman Oleksandr Motuzaynik said, “The state is making every effort to carry out the rescue of our service members.” “Any public knowledge could jeopardize the procedure.”
At a press conference, military spokesman Oleksandr Motuzaynik said, “The state is making every effort to carry out the rescue of our service members.” “Any public knowledge could jeopardize the procedure.”
Russia announced that 694 more fighters surrendered overnight, bringing the total number of surrendered fighters to 959.
Denis Pushilin, the head of pro-Russian separatists in control of the area, was quoted by local news agency DNA as stating that the plant’s key commanders were still inside.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian officials announced the surrender of around 250 fighters, but they could not indicate how many more were still inside.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Red Cross, and the United Nations are all involved in talks, according to Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko.
Following its withdrawal from Kyiv, Russia has focused its recent offensives on the southeast, where the US announced on Wednesday that it had resumed activities at its embassy.
However, the capitulation of the steelworks gives Russian President Vladimir Putin a rare win.
It also marks the conclusion of an almost three-month siege of the port city of over 400,000 people, during which Ukraine claims tens of thousands have died as a result of Russian bombardment.
Ukrainian officials have mentioned negotiating a prisoner swap, but Moscow claims no such agreement has been reached for the combatants, many of whom are members of a far-right militia.
More than 50 wounded fighters have been transferred to a hospital for treatment, while others have been taken to a prison, according to Russia, both in Ukrainian towns held by pro-Russian rebels.
After surrendering in Azovstal, Russia’s defense ministry aired videos of what it claimed were Ukrainian fighters receiving hospital treatment.
One individual lying in bed said he had food and physicians, while another said he had been bandaged and had no concerns about his treatment. It was impossible to tell whether the men were conversing freely or not.
Putin has personally assured that individuals who surrender would be treated humanely, according to the Kremlin. Other Russian officials have advocated for their imprisonment and even execution.
On the battlefield, Russian forces have recently abandoned the area around Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s Chief of Staff, told MSNBC, “We have some progress in these directions.”
Despite this, Moscow has continued its primary push, attempting to conquer more land in the Donbas region, which it claims for separatists.
Mariupol, the Donbas’ principal port, is Russia’s largest city to date, giving it complete control of the Sea of Azov and an unbroken strip of territory spanning Ukraine’s east and south.
Russia’s strategy of showering fire on population centers can be seen by the city’s near-total destruction.
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