Ukraine's Remaining Troops In Mariupol Still Fighting And Rejecting Russian Calls To Surrender, Ukrainian PM: The City Hasn't Fallen

PM Ukraina Denys Shmyhal. (Wikimedia Commons/Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said his troops in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol were still fighting and rejected Russian calls to surrender.

"The city still hasn't fallen," Shmyhal told ABC's 'This Week' program, adding that Ukrainian troops continued to control parts of the city.

"So, there is no complete control of Mariupol by Russian troops," Shmyhal continued.

Earlier, Russia said on Saturday it controlled the urban part of Mariupol, with a few Ukrainian fighters remaining at the Azovstal steelworks overlooking the Sea of Azov.

The Azovstal steelworks, one of Europe's largest metallurgical plants with a maze of railroad tracks and blast furnaces, had become the last resort for outnumbered defenders.

"All those who lay down their weapons are guaranteed their lives will be saved," the Russian defense ministry said.

Seizing Mariupol, the main port in the southeastern region of the Donbas, would be a strategic gift for Russia, linking territory held by pro-Russian separatists in the east with the Crimea region captured by Moscow in 2014.

Having failed to overcome Ukrainian resistance in the north, the Russian military has refocused its ground offensive on the Donbas while maintaining long-range attacks elsewhere including the capital, Kyiv.

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It is known that about four million Ukrainians have fled the country, cities have been destroyed and thousands have died since the start of the invasion on February 24.

"The invaders will be held accountable for everything they did in Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on his Telegram account, posting an image of the devastation he said resembled the 'terrible times' of World War Two.

President Zelensky accused Russia on Saturday of "deliberately seeking to destroy everyone" in Mariupol, saying his government was in contact with the fighters.

It is not known how many soldiers were in the steel mill. Satellite images have shown smoke and fire coming from the area, which is full of tunnels. President Zelensky said killing his troops would affect peace efforts.

Russia said Ukraine had lost more than 4.000 troops in Mariupol on Saturday. Kyiv said the total loss of its troops nationwide so far in the war was less than that, between 2.500 and 3.000. Reuters was unable to verify the figures for either side.