Shoigu misinforms Putin on Mariupol
Roman Petrenko — Thursday, 21 April 2022, 10:43
The Russian Minister of Defence Sergey Shoigu reported to President Putin that Mariupol was "liberated" – adding, however, that there were "over two thousand" Ukrainian defenders still remaining in the city.
Source: Russian state-controlled media, citing a meeting of the two officials
Details: Shoigu reported that when the "capital of nationalistic Azov" [as he called Mariupol] was surrounded, the "number of the UAF [Ukrainian Armed Forces] and foreign mercenaries amounted to 8,100 persons," but now it is just over 2,000 persons "completely trapped on the territory of the Azovstal [Mariupol steel plant]".
Shoigu also reiterated his message of the past month that "completing the Azovstal operation required three-four days."
The Minister suggested to Putin that Russian forces should storm Azovstal, however, Putin did not appear to like the idea. Putin decided that, "there is no need to go into the catacombs, it is better to block the Azovstal industrial area, so that even a fly could not escape."
Putin called "the completion of the military action on Mariupol" a success and greeted Shoigu.
The Russian state-controlled media also published a video showing the two officials talking.
It is possible the video is a montage. Particularly, observers noted an uncharacteristic stoop and unnatural head movements of Putin.
Background: The Commander of the 36th separate marine brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Serhii Volynskiy ("Volyna") called on foreign states to urgently conduct an "extraction" from Mariupol of the remaining defenders and civilians hiding in Azovstal to a safe place, rescuing them from decimation by Russian forces.
On 20 April, the marines and Azov rescued some 500 personnel from the Mariupol Seaport.
Earlier:
- Mariupol has been under siege since 1 March. On 12 April, part of the Marine force was able to break through from the Ilyich plant to the Azov regiment at the Azovstal plant. Some were captured.
- The Russian army strikes Azovstal with heavy bombs. On 19 April, deputy commander of the Azov regiment Svyatoslav Palamar (Kalyna) said that the Azovstal plant was almost completely destroyed. Soldiers pulled people from the rubble.
- On 19 April, the Russian Defence Ministry demanded, for at least the third time, that Ukrainian defenders stationed at Azovstal lay down their arms and surrender.
