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It is one year since the Ukrainian city of Mariupol was largely destroyed by Russian forces and captured. It is now being transformed and presented as a showcase for rule from Moscow - and some Russians are even hoping to buy homes there. Russia claimed to have annexed Mariupol, along with all other occupied areas, following a series of referendums that have been widely condemned as sham exercises. About 90% of the city's buildings were damaged or destroyed by Russian shelling during a gruelling two-month siege. Thousands of civilians were killed and about 350,000 people left, out of the pre-war...

The Kremlin has blamed Britain's Storm Shadow missiles for a devastating long-distance attack on war-torn Mariupol as Ukraine stages a fightback against its Russian occupiers. Ukraine's once fiercely defended city, now in the Russian-held sector of Donetsk, reported two missile strikes on Friday, where a monthslong siege early in the war left much of the city in ruins. Two successive strikes hit the besieged city, one of them allegedly hitting the Azovstal steel works where Ukraine forces once battled to fend off Russian attack. Kremlin state news agency Tass cited an unnamed official as saying the missiles were long-range Storm...

The Kremlin has blamed Britain's Storm Shadow missiles for a devastating long-distance attack on war-torn Mariupol as Ukraine stages a fightback against its Russian occupiers. Ukraine's once fiercely defended city, now in the Russian-held sector of Donetsk, reported two missile strikes on Friday, where a monthslong siege early in the war left much of the city in ruins. Two successive strikes hit the besieged city, one of them allegedly hitting the Azovstal steel works where Ukraine forces once battled to fend off Russian attack. Kremlin state news agency Tass cited an unnamed official as saying the missiles were long-range Storm...

Explosions have been heard in the Russian-held city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine with reports of loud blasts coming from the area of a nearby airport. Based on unconfirmed reports from local sources, there have been up to four missile strikes on Mariupol which was taken by Russian forces in 2022 following a three-month-long siege. According to a correspondent from Ukrinform, a statement was made using the messaging service Telegram by Petro Andriushchenko, an advisor to the mayor of Mariupol confirming the explosions. A video of an explosion near the recently built Nevsky housing complex, which was constructed by Russian...

The Azov Battalion became widely known for resisting Russian forces in Mariupol in Ukraine. Formed by volunteers to protect the Donbas from Russian invaders, it has evolved into an elite unit, with specialists drawn from Ukraine’s special forces. Here’s a look into who its members are and what they do.

The Russian invaders turned the temporarily occupied Mariupol into a continuous ghetto. The invaders banned teachers from leaving the city and began "visits" to their homes. This was announced by adviser to the mayor of Mariupol Pyotr Andryushchenko. "Strengthening the regime again. Now it concerns teachers," the report says. In particular, teachers were banned from leaving the city, because the loudly announced launches of most schools, lyceums and two universities failed due to the lack of teachers. In addition, the facts of "persuasion" of going to work because of beatings are becoming widespread. Separate patrols visit teachers ' homes and...

A Russian journalist accused of posting 'sane people are for peace' about Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine has been locked in a Siberian clinical psychiatric hospital. Maria Ponomarenko, a 44-year-old mother of two, claims the authorities are seeking to gag her because of her opposition to the war. She is accused of spreading 'fake' news concerning Putin’s 'special military operation' in Ukraine. One comment seen as against the law by prosecutors said: 'It is impossible to remain silent, knowing about the death of thousands of innocent people.' Her 'fake' Telegram posts also included critical comments about the Russian bombing of...

Civil vessels may safely use the Azov Sea port of Mariupol in Ukraine as the danger from mines has been eliminated, the Russian defence ministry said on Thursday. It said a maritime humanitarian corridor was opened on Wednesday in the Azov Sea. ...

Moscow announced today that the port of Mariupol is operational again, after three months of fighting to take control. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that the army has removed all mines in the port and that it can now operate at full capacity again... Recall that last night, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that it will open four humanitarian corridors at sea, in order to be able to pass foreign ships that had been stranded for months in the port of Mariupol.

Russia claimed to have captured Mariupol on Friday in what would be its biggest victory yet in its war with Ukraine, after a nearly three-month siege that reduced much of the strategic port city to a smoking ruin...Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin the “complete liberation” of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol......As they surrendered, the troops were taken prisoner by the Russians, and at least some were taken to a former penal colony. Others were said to be hospitalized.Russia said the Azov commander was taken away from the plant in an armored vehicle.

Since May 16, a total of 2,439 Azov Nazis and AFU servicemen blocked inside the plant have laid down their arms and surrendered during the operation. Today, the last group of 531 militants surrendered. {1398 had surrendered in earlier days at Ilyich plant, largely marines)

By yesterday, it looked like the battle for Mariupol was over in all but name when Zelensky sent word to his own troops to get out if they were able. The steel mill where the fighters, along with thousands of civilians had been holed up has been mostly shelled into rubble. Finally, the wounded were removed on stretchers and a significant number of the remaining troops turned themselves over to the Russian forces. Reportedly, many of them were loaded onto buses to a prison camp in Russian-held territory. But there are still thousands of Russian prisoners of war being held...

Will add updates if I see any

The Russia-controlled Donetsk administration said over 900 Ukrainian troops surrendered the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, a figure much larger than previously reported. "In total, 962 Ukrainian militants surrendered from the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol," the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Territorial Defense Headquarters said. Mixed reports have emerged concerning the number of Ukrainian personnel that were evacuated from the plant upon its surrender, as early estimates put the figure between a few hundred and 1,000, Ukraine's military said.

Hundreds of Ukrainian fighters trapped for more than two months in the vast Azovstal steel works have surrendered to their Russian besiegers after their commanders finally called time on the defense of Mariupol. A total of 264 soldiers, 53 of them badly wounded, were taken in a convoy of buses to two towns held by Russian-backed rebels in the Donetsk area, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. It is unclear how many more are left in the steelworks, where as many as 1,000 fighters had been holed up in a network of underground tunnels and caverns in a medieval siege. (snip) Russia...

After insisting their forces would "fight to the death," Ukraine has ceded control of the major city to Russia.

Ukraine’s military worked Tuesday to evacuate its remaining fighters from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol where three months of Russian bombing has left the besieged port city in ruins. Ukrainian officials said more than 260 fighters were evacuated Monday. Fifty-three seriously injured fighters were taken to a hospital in Novoazovsk, east of Mariupol, Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said. Novoazovsk is under the control of Russian troops and Russian-backed separatists. Another 211 fighters were taken to the town of Olenivka, an area also controlled by Russian-backed separatists, Malyar said, adding that the evacuees would be subject to a...

Ukraine's military said on Tuesday it was working to evacuate all remaining troops from their last stronghold in the besieged port of Mariupol, ceding control of the city to Russia after months of bombardment. The evacuation of hundreds of fighters, many wounded, to Russian-held towns, likely marked the end of the longest and bloodiest battle of the Ukraine war and a significant defeat for Ukraine.

Ukraine's military said on Tuesday it was working to evacuate all remaining troops from their last stronghold in the besieged port of Mariupol, ceding control of the city to Russia after months of bombardment...

The Azov Regiment on May 10 published photos of badly wounded Ukrainian soldiers who are still holding out at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol, even in the face of daily attacks by Russian forces. “The while civilized world must see the conditions in which our wounded and maimed defenders of Mariupol are, and act,” a message accompanying the photos reads. The wounded are being treated in poor sanitary conditions, lacking sterile bandages, medical supplies, and even food, the Azov soldiers said. They urged the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to act on their core values...