Putin orders troops not to storm final Mariupol holdout

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in the besieged strategic city of Mariupol Thursday, even as he praised Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for the "liberation" of the city.

"I believe the suggested attack at the industrial zone to be not necessary," Putin told Shoigu in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. "I order for it to be called off."

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"This is that case when we have to think- that is we always have to think but in this case it`s even more important - to think of saving lives and health of our soldiers and officers," Putin added. "One does not have to climb into these catacombs and crawl there underground around these industrial objects."

"Block this industrial zone in such a way that even a fly could not fly through," the president ordered. Shoigu replied, "Yes."

"Offer to all those who still did not lay down arms to do it," Putin added. "The Russian side guarantees life and dignified treatment to them in accordance with corresponding international legal acts. All of the wounded ones will receive qualified medical assistance."

"Completion of military actions on liberation of Mariupol is a success," he added. "Congratulations."

Previously, Soigu had told Putin, "As of today the whole Mariupol is under the control of Russian army, People`s militia of Donetsk People`s Republic and the territory of the plant ‘Azovstal’ with the remainder of nationalists and foreign mercenaries has been reliably blocked."

Early Wednesday, the commander of a Ukrainian Marine unit made an urgent last-ditch plea for Ukrainian women and children, along with wounded marines, sheltering in the Azovstal plant to be evacuated to a neutral third country as the Russian deadline to surrender Mariupol loomed. 

Moscow has given the Ukrainian forces several deadlines to surrender the plant and leave without their weapons. The latest expired at 2 p.m. Moscow time (11 a.m. GMT) on April 20.

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The Azovstal Iron and Steel Works was once the site of one of the largest metallurgical factories in Europe, but since the onslaught of the war more than 50 days ago it has become a symbol of the city’s resistance.

The plant’s network of underground tunnels has become home to Mariupol residents seeking shelter from the barrage of shelling and a base for several military units.

Despite weeks of intense shelling that has resulted in the death of more than 20,000 Mariupol residents according to Mayor Vadym Boychenko, Russian forces have been unable to take the strategically important city.

An advisor to the Russian-backed separatist forces in the Donetsk region said the Azovstal tunnels were a leading contributor to Russia’s failed attempts to completely besiege the city, claiming that they could withstand "even [a] nuclear strike."

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Russia launched a full-scale offensive in eastern Ukraine this week, after pivoting from broad-based attacks across the country, including a massive assault on the capital of Kyiv. 

Only four buses with civilians managed to escape Mariupol on Wednesday after several unsuccessful attempts, Ukrainian officials said Thursday. Late Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had liberated nearly 1,000 settlements Russian forces previously controlled earlier in the invasion.