“Ukrainian nationalist formations abandoned their positions and armored vehicles, leaving the city in a hurry,” RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.
According to Filiponenko, "the low qualifications of the sappers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the national battalions did not even allow the full implementation of the withdrawal plan: the explosives planted under one of the key bridges simply did not work."
On April 19, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the opening at 14:00 Moscow time of a humanitarian corridor for military and militants to leave Azovstal in Mariupol, who would voluntarily lay down their arms.