Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the Russian military operation in Ukraine is "continuing as planned," despite President Vladimir Putin ordering his forces not to storm the Azovstal steel plant, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in the coastal city of Mariupol. Peskov clarified to reporters on Thursday that "there has been and still is an opportunity for Ukrainian forces to lay down their arms and exit through the corridors that have been opened." He mentioned that "the operation is continuing according to plan," indicating that Mariupol has been liberated.
In response to a question about whether the order not to storm the steel plant represents a change in plans, he explained that "this is a separate facility, where the remaining group of Ukrainian nationalists is completely surrounded."
Regarding the plans for storming the Azovstal steel plant, President Putin instructed the Russian army on Thursday to cancel its plans to storm the facility in Mariupol, stating that he wants to ensure the siege continues safely instead, adding that it is necessary to surround "the area in a way that does not allow a single fly to pass through." The Russian president congratulated Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu on the successful operation in Mariupol, stating that the city has been successfully controlled and there is no need to storm the industrial zone in Mariupol. Putin also affirmed that Russia guarantees the safe treatment and respect for Ukrainian forces leaving the Azovstal facility.
For his part, Defense Minister Shoigu informed Putin that the situation in Mariupol is calm and allows for the return of civilians, noting that Russian forces have completely controlled Mariupol, except for the Azovstal plant, where Ukrainian fighters are still present. He added that members of armed Ukrainian formations in Mariupol possessed weapons capable of reaching Russian territories. Shoigu mentioned that at the moment Mariupol was surrounded, the number of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries totaled approximately 8,100, and that during the city's liberation, over 4,000 of them were eliminated, while 1,478 others surrendered, with the remaining group of more than 2,000 militants now encircled in the industrial zone of Azovstal.
The Russian military operation in Ukraine entered its 57th day on Thursday as the Russian army continued to destroy Ukrainian military infrastructure amidst ongoing battles to liberate Donbas territories. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced that Russian forces would completely control the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol on Thursday. Kadyrov stated in a voice message posted online early Thursday (local time): "Before or after lunch, the Azovstal plant will be under the complete control of Russian forces," according to Reuters. This comes as Chechen forces are fighting in Ukraine as part of the Russian military operations there.
