This is a considerable step forward for the pro-Russian separatists.
This Monday, the latter announced, through their leader, Denis Pushilin, quoted by the Russian press agencies, having completely conquered the port area of Mariupol, a strategic city in the conflict in Ukraine, besieged for more than a year. months and located in the southeast of the country.
“Regarding the port of Mariupol, it is already under our control,” said Denis Pouchiline, live on the Russian channel Pervy Kanal.
The representative of the separatist army, Edouard Bassourin, meanwhile affirmed that the last Ukrainian defenders were now concentrated in the huge “Azovstal” and “Azovmach” factories.
Monday morning, Bassourine said that 80% of the port area had been conquered.
Read alsoThey lived through hell in Mariupol: the story of a month of chaos in the martyred city
Incessant bombardments for more than a month
On Sunday evening, Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said on YouTube that it had now become "impossible" to defend the city of Mariupol militarily.
The forces of the self-proclaimed "republics" of Donetsk and Lugansk, in eastern Ukraine, are fully participating in the Kremlin offensive launched on February 24th.
For more than a month, the Russian army and the Donetsk separatists have besieged Mariupol, on the shores of the Sea of Azov, where they have encountered strong resistance despite incessant bombardments and a catastrophic humanitarian situation.
In tune with Moscow, separatist leader Denis Pushilin said on Monday that his forces would strengthen their efforts to fully conquer the Ukrainian region of Donetsk.
"The operation will be intensified, because the longer we drag, the more the civilian population suffers by being hostage to the situation," he said at a press conference in Donetsk, a large city under separatist control since 2014. .