Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukrainian militants hiding at the Azovstal Power Plant in Mariupol lay down their weapons. Putin said this very clearly: “Civilians can go in any direction, the military must come out and lay down their weapons,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agency TASS. They have a lifetime warranty and medical care. But not anymore, they said.
Earlier, during a Russian attack on the last defenders of Mariupol, who were hiding in the steelworks of Azovstal, the field hospital installed there had been attacked by heavy fire. According to a report by “Ukrajinska Pravda”, at least one soldier was killed on Thursday night and about 100 patients suffered further injuries. According to defenders, the hospital, where about 500 wounded and doctors were, was specifically attacked. The information could not be independently verified.
According to Ukrainian information, the Russian military temporarily suspended its ground attacks in eastern Ukraine on Friday night. “In the direction of Izyum (the enemy) did not take any active offensive action,” the Ukrainian staff said in its morning situation report. Russian forces therefore limited their activities to reconnaissance and artillery fire. The area around Izyum in the Kharkiv region has been a prime target for Russian troops in recent days. Ukrainian forces in the Donbass region were to be surrounded by the advance to the south.
Things have also remained relatively calm on other sections of the front. The Ukrainian general staff also reported artillery fire in Donetsk, but there were no further assault attempts. According to the General Staff, the Ukrainian army was also mainly limited to defensive work. 15 flying objects were shot down during the night: in addition to a plane, five cruise missiles and nine drones. The reports could not be independently verified.
On Friday night, the port of Odessa, in southern Ukraine, was targeted by Russian rocket attacks. Local military representative Maxim Marchenko announced that the air defense system had shot down three Russian missiles. “We have the sky under control.” A Russian reconnaissance drone had already been destroyed. However, several explosions could be heard in the city at night, according to “Ukrajinska Prawda”, among others.
According to British intelligence experts, gains from Russian territory in the Donbass region are limited in view of fierce Ukrainian resistance and are associated with high losses. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Defense in London on Friday.
The fighting for the cities of Lyssychansk and Sievjerodonetsk was particularly fierce, with an attempt to advance from Izyum southward towards Sloviansk.
The battle for the Donbass region remains Russia’s strategic focus to achieve the stated goal of gaining control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the statement said.