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VLADIMIR PUTIN declared victory in the battle for Mariupol today, while ordering troops not to risk more losses by storming the huge steel plant containing the last Ukrainian forces there.
Instead he directed that soldiers seal off the plant so that “not even a fly can get through,” while announcing: “The completion of combat work to liberate Mariupol is a success. Congratulations.”
Ukrainian presidential aide Oleksiy Arestovich retorted that the order meant that “they cannot physically enter Azovstal. They have understood this. They have suffered huge losses there.”
Russia’s Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu estimated that 2,000 Ukrainian troops were still in the plant complex, which covers several square miles.
Ukrainian authorities say about 1,000 civilians have also taken refuge there.
Mr Shoigu claimed Russia could take the site “in a few days,” but was publicly ordered by Mr Putin to “abort the proposed storming of the industrial area” as “pointless.
“There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through industrial facilities. Block it off.”
The United States announced another $800 million (£615m) in military assistance to Ukraine, including heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and drones.
Canada and the Netherlands also announced more military aid to the country.
The US said last week at a summit with arms dealers that it was readying to supply “protracted war” in Ukraine, though President Joe Biden has ruled out direct military action as equivalent to starting “World War III.”
It appeared unconcerned by Russia’s announcement of a new intercontinental ballistic missile test yesterday, the Sarmat ICBM.
Mr Putin said the missile was “really unique” and could penetrate any foreign missile defence system. Roscosmos space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin described it as a “present to Nato.”
It would “make those who, in the heat of frantic aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country think twice,” he said.
But the US said Russia had notified it of the “routine” test in accordance with the New Start nuclear arms control treaty and that “we did not deem the test to be a threat.”
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has asked to visit both Moscow and Ukraine for urgent talks aimed at agreeing a peace deal, but it is not known if either country has responded yet.
