Natalia Zinets

(Reuters] – Russian troops will take control of the city of Mariupol, a key ally to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The announcement came after Ukraine suggested talks for evacuating civilians.

Mariupol will be Russia’s largest city seized since the invasion of Ukraine eight weeks back. This attack has been longer than most military analysts anticipated, and seen more than five million refugees fleeing abroad.

Ramzan Kadyrov (the head of Russia’s republic of Chechnya), stated that Azovstal would be under Russian Federation control before lunchtime or after lunch.

Ukraine’s defense ministry could not be reached immediately for comment.

According to Reuters witnesses, a few dozen civilians were able to escape the most intense battle in the war by leaving the strategic port of southeastern.

Serhiy Volny – a Ukrainian marine commander said that the fighters at steelworks may not have enough strength to withstand much longer. Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that there is an estimated 1000 civilians hiding in those areas.

Ukraine is open to a special round of negotiations with no conditions, “to save our guys (far right) Azov(battalion), military civilians, children and the living and wounded,” Mykhailo Podolyak, negotiator, tweeted.

Kyiv proposed that Russian prisoner of war be swapped for civilians and soldiers trapped in the country. Russia’s response to this offer was unknown.

The fighters are still trapped in the plant, and they have refused to obey Russia’s ultimatum. On Wednesday, fewer civilians escaped than was expected.

According to Ukraine, it has so far resisted an attack by Russian troops trying to advance in the Battle of the Donbas. This new campaign is Kyiv’s attempt to take control of two Eastern provinces Moscow claimed for separatists.

Russia had launched strikes against dozens of eastern Ukrainian military bases and also shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 aircraft near Koroviy Yar. According to its defense ministry.

Putin stated that a test launch of Russia’s Sarmat intercontinental missile ballistic missile on Wednesday would be a “food for thought” for all those trying to undermine our country with frenzied rhetoric.

Russia refers to its incursion as a special military operation in order demilitarize and denazify Ukraine. Kyiv, along with its Western allies, rejects that pretext as an excuse for war.

At a G7 meeting, finance ministers from G7 declared Wednesday that Russia shouldn’t participate in international forums such as the G20, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank.

High ranking officials of Canada, America, and Britain walked out upon Russia’s representatives during a Group of 20 meeting held in Washington. This exposed deep divisions within the bloc of large economies.

Washington imposed unimaginable sanctions against Russia on Wednesday.

BILLOWING CLOUDS of SMOKE

Mariupol is now an abandoned seaside resort of 400,000. Russia has exploded the Azovstal steel plant in Kyiv with bomb-buster bombs.

Svyatoslav Kamar, deputy commander in the Azov Regiment of Mariupol claimed that there were still about 80 to 100 civilians under several bunkers.

On Wednesday, black smoke rose from the plant as evacuatees waited to board buses.

Tamara (64), a pensioner, stated that she would be staying with her sister Zaporizhzhia. Her husband, her daughter, son in-law, and grandson were with her.

It was a joy to finally leave this horrible nightmare. “We lived in basements for 30 nights,” she cried.

Ukraine accused Russian forces, claiming that they failed to adhere to a ceasefire at the appropriate level to permit large numbers of refugees to return home. Russia didn’t immediately reply to this allegation.

Moscow claims that it is not targeting civilians. It has also blamed Ukraine on the failure to set up humanitarian corridors outside of Mariupol.

Russia would be able to link the territory of the East held by pro-Russian separatists with the Crimea area that Moscow annexed.

Moscow had to withdraw from Ukraine’s northern Ukraine following an attack on Kyiv that was defeated last month. However, troops have been re-enforced for the offensive in east Ukraine which began this week.

Russia was focused on moving towards Sloviansk. However, Oleksiy Arestovych (Ukraine presidential adviser) said “so far” that Russia is not succeeding.

In the meantime, peace talks have stopped.

Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister said that the peace talks are likely to collapse and all world leaders (including Joe Biden), agreed this week on a phone call to say they will continue to supply weapons to Ukraine.