RUSSIA: On Monday, Russia’s defence ministry ordered a truce surrounding the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, allowing civilians to flee the industrial sector that has been sheltering the port city’s surviving Ukrainian resistance.
“Russian soldiers will unilaterally end all hostilities, remove units to a safe distance, and ensure the pullout of from 14:00 Moscow time (1100 GMT) on April 25,” according to the ministry.
The ministry went on to say that the Ukrainian side should indicate readiness by “raising white flags” at Azovstal to start the evacuation procedure.
The ministry stated, “The citizens will be carried in any way they want.” This information will be transmitted to individuals inside Azovstal through radio channels every 30 minutes.”
Rather than attacking the Mariupol steelworks, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian military to surround the area last week. “A fly can’t get through,” Putin said, urging Russian soldiers to blockade the Azovstal steelworks, the Ukrainian army’s last position in the besieged city.
Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry stated that Russia bombed Ukraine’s Kremenchuk oil refinery with long-range missiles on Monday, as well as military installations nearby. “The Russian Federation’s armed forces are continuing their special military operation in Ukraine,” the Russian ministry said.
In a separate incident, Russia launched missiles at two towns in Ukraine’s central Vinnytsia region on Monday, killing and injuring an unidentified number of people, according to regional governor Serhiy Borzov.
“Today, Vinnytsia region is once again under rocket fire (in) the towns of Zhmerynka and Kozyatyn. The enemy is attempting to hit critical infrastructure,” Borzov said in a video.
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