Putin claims victory in Mariupol, leaving Ukrainian defenders holed up

Reuters ^

[FarCenter]

KYIV, April 21 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the biggest battle of the Ukraine war on Thursday, declaring the port of Mariupol "liberated" after nearly two months of siege, despite hundreds of defenders still holding out inside a giant steel works.

In a televised meeting with his defence minister inside the Kremlin, Putin said there was no need for a final confrontation with the last defenders who were boxed in after surviving nearly two months of Russia's siege.

"I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary," he told Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. "I order you to cancel it."

"There's no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities," he said. "Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can get through."

Shoigu estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters remained inside the plant. Putin called on them to lay down their weapons and surrender, saying Russia would treat them with respect.

[JonPreston]

Russia = monsters!!

Do you always wake up in a state of hysteria?

[Chunga85]

There were two US lead coups in Ukraine. One in 2004 and another in 2014. The fact of the matter is, the US is pushing NATO to expand towards Russia’s border, and it has. The US state dept. pushed for the terms of Minsk agreement to be ignored, and they were.

Russia has been warning about this for eight years and they’ve had enough. Eventually, I predict, that Europeans who are caused to suffer by provocative US foreign policy are going to kick the US out of NATO and out of Europe and out of their lives.

Some people, like yourself, live their entire lives in an old black and white John Wayne movie.

[epluribus_2]

Firing, releaving, displacing would be an admission of (widely recognized) failure.

That would (did) reflect on the большой (big) Guy.

Sergei knows he will face his fate soon but will be kept in name only for now while Putin scrambles to save face. Biden will likely save him.

[epluribus_2]

Firing, releaving, displacing would be an admission of (widely recognized) failure.

That would (did) reflect on the большой (big) Guy.

Sergei knows he will face his fate soon but will be kept in name only for now while Putin scrambles to save face. Biden will likely save him.

[marcusmaximus]

Putin has one foot in the grave. Photo from today's meeting with Shoigu.

[jpsb]

Just a quick note,

There was no USAF in WW2. There was the ARMY AIR CORP so yes the US Army destroyed those German cities. So once again

you’re wrong bub, didn’t you learn anything in high school?

[marcusmaximus]

Looking bad today.

[marcusmaximus]

Video link. Putin holding on to the desk with right hand. Right leg twitching. Left side almost paralyzed. Bloated. Slouched.

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1517041760865767424

[jpsb]

Also of note, Germany declared war on the USA, huge mistake by Germany, that is why we fought in Europe.

[cuban leaf]

I saw Laura Southern interview a guy a few days ago that was “on the ground” in Ukraine. His assessment was that Russia is definitely winning this thing, but it is costing them more than they expected. I’m checking my history to find it.

Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcYMMnBcAMk

A lot of the content is about his terminal brain condition, but the information in Ukraine is fascinating.

[XRdsRev]

Putin is not showing mercy. The steel plant and more importantly, the nearby Industrial NEON plant are two assets the Russians want control of with minimal damage. The NEON plant is one of only a handful in the world and if the Russians can utilize it and capture the one in Odessa, they will control over 75% of the world’s Industrial NEON production (China produces almost all the remainder). Industrial NEON is required for microchip manufacturing. It is difficult to refine and to build a new plant in the west would take over a year to get on line. Even the world’s largest microchip producers only have about 45 days of Industrial NEON on hand right now.

[Justa]

Just for starters:

NATO does not “expand” anywhere. Nations ask to join, submit their application and must be unanimously approved by member nations.

Ukraine applied to join NATO in 2008 but GE and FR did not approve their application so Ukraine was not admitted.

Russia’s invasion proves Ukraine was right to want to join NATO and wrong to give up its nukes.

If Finland and Sweden join NATO it will be due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and continued Russian threats against Finland and Sweden, not NATO’s “expansion”.

Just because your neighbor locks his door doesn’t give you the right to kick it down and invade his home. No one has a right to their neighbor’s property or liberty.

Russia owns only misery. Everyone wants to leave and seeks protection from it. Thug-run nation.

[Chainmail]

Go back to your textbooks and look up the history of the United States Air Force and then you'll maybe remember that the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) was what it was called from 1943-1946.

Study harder.

[Chainmail]

The "coups" were to throw out a Russian-installed government from the Ukraine. The US may have backed it, but the Ukraininan people were in charge of it - and many lost their lives to Russian butchers. See: Maidan Massacre.

The Russians do not own any of the countries that border them - and have nothing to fear from anybody joining NATO. The Russians are being their usual brutal, primitive selves - again.

John Wayne movies are good for you.

[jpsb]

I hate arguing with jerks like you. The USAF did not exist during WW2. That is a fact jack. The USAF came into existence in 1947, prior to that it was part of the US Army.

On July 26, 1947, the National Security Act created the independent U.S. Air Force. The National Security Act Amendments of 1949 reorganized the military services, with the Department of the Air Force included within the Department of Defense.

Go argue with a wall, if you can not accept documented FACTS I'm done with you.

[Chunga85]

The movie has been over for a long time and you are going to have a very difficult time adjusting to reality.

[nitzy]

Is is possible that Russia is not fighting Ukraine as much as they are fighting the Globalist New World Order? The current battle just happens to be taking place in Ukraine.

With that perspective, look at what their enemy has done in Libya, Iraq, Yemen, etc...

In regard to who has violated international law, what do you call it when a revolution is orchestrated by outside parties?

Russia and Putin are not the good guys but neither is the U.S. and the Globalist New World Order that is using Ukraine as a proxy against Russia.

[Eagles6]

Yeah.

Notice anyone else that calls all of their enemies nazis?

[Chainmail]

Uh, time to get another appointment with your optometrist: note the extra "A" in USAAF. That was the actual name of the US Army Air Forces prior to 1947. The US Army Air Corps was the actual name for our air forces from 2 July 1926 – 9 March 1942. Then they took the name USAAF until 1947.

Stubborn boy!

[redgolum]

How many should NATO force out to make Mad Vlad feel secure?

All the way to northern Ireland? Maybe east of death valley CA?