(ANSA) - ROME, APRIL 17 - The Russian armed forces offered the defenders of Mariupol to cease hostilities and lay down arms by 6 this morning (Sunday) Moscow time (5 in Italy), guaranteeing them, in return, the life.
This was stated in a statement by General Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the Russian National Defense Management Center, which commanded the siege of Mariupol.
"Given the desperate situation that has arisen in the Azovstal metallurgical factory, and led by humanitarian princes, the Russian armed forces offer the militants of nationalist battalions and foreign mercenaries to stop hostilities and lay down their weapons at 6 am Moscow time on April 17. Exchange their lives will be spared ", reads the note reported by TASS.
To implement this "humanitarian operation", Mizintsev proposes a roadmap: from 5 Moscow time "a continuous communication is established between the Russian and Ukrainian sides for the mutual exchange of information; from 5:30 Moscow time" complete silence mode is announced "; at 6 Moscow time" both sides will raise their flags (on the red-Russian side, on the white Ukrainian side), all over the Azovstal perimeter. "
From 6 to 13 Moscow time all Ukrainian armed units and foreign mercenaries will have to leave the steel mill "without weapons and ammunition, without exceptions".
The "desperate situation" to which Mizintsev refers would be, in particular, that - the Russian Defense Ministry stresses to TASS - revealed of the communications between the defenders of Mariupol and the government of Kiev.
The former would have asked the Kiev authorities for permission to surrender - says the leader of the Russian besiegers - "but in response they are threatened with executions".
The Russians would have intercepted radio communications (367 in the last 24 hours alone) in which the resisters would be in a desperate situation inside the steel plant, where the reserves of food and water would now be exhausted, according to Russian sources.
(HANDLE).
