Russia asks Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol's Azovstal plant to surrender

Moscow (Russia), April 19: Russia has called on Ukrainian troops in Mariupol to "immediately lay down arms" and surrender on Tuesday afternoon. Col Gen Mikhail Mizintsev, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's National Defense Control Center, stated that the Russian military is proposing to Ukrainian soldiers and foreign mercenaries who are hiding in Mariupol's Azovstal plant to surrender on Tuesday afternoon. "Given the catastrophic situation that has developed at the Azovstal metallurgical plant, and also guided by purely humane principles, the Russian armed forces once again offer militants of nationalist battalions and foreign mercenaries from 12.00 Moscow time [09:00 GMT] on April 19, 2022, to halt all hostilities and lay down their arms," Mizintsev said. Those who surrender, he said, will "keep their lives." Such previous proposals have been rejected by Ukrainian troops who have been defending the city for seven weeks. Also Read | Shiv Sena alleges motive of electoral gains behind Jahangirpuri violence Mizintsev alleged that the process includes direct communication between the Russian and Ukrainian sides starting from 10:00 GMT. The Russian official added that the surrender process should last two hours and start at 11:00 GMT when the militants will start leaving the Azovstal plant without weapons. The Russian defence ministry also urged Kiev to show "reason and give the corresponding orders to fighters to cease their senseless resistance" and added that defenders of Mariupol would be "guaranteed survival" if they laid down their arms starting at noon (0900 GMT). The Azovstal plant, which spans around 11 square kilometres (nearly 4 square miles) in Mariupol, a strategic port on the Sea of Azov, is the last significant Ukrainian pocket of resistance. Also Read | Eyeing 2024 LS polls, Cong again meets Prashant Kishor to discuss roadmap -PTC News