Moscow announces new battles for control of the city of Mariupol

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that new battles will be waged against Ukrainian forces in the coastal city of Mariupol.

Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said in a statement that the "regime" in Kyiv had consistently ignored the call to stop the fighting.

Troops must lay down their weapons and withdraw from the city via agreed humanitarian corridors.

The statement stated that Kyiv has no interest in protecting the lives of its soldiers or residents in the city.

"Mariopol is being liberated from the nationalists by units of the Russian Armed Forces and the Donetsk People's Republic," Konashenkov added.

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