Chechen chief Kadyrov: Russia forces will control Mariupol steelworks Thursday -Interfax

Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov attends a meeting with commanders of Russia's 8th combined army of the Southern Military District and special forces units at an operations centre in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict in the city of Mariupol, Ukraine March 28, 2022. Picture taken March 28, 2022. REUTERS/Chingis Kondarov/File Photo

Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Russia's republic of Chechnya, said Russian forces would be in complete control of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol on Thursday.

"Before lunchtime, or after lunch, Azovstal will be completely under the control of the forces of the Russian Federation," he said in an audio message posted online early on Thursday.

Chechen forces have been fighting in Ukraine as part of Russia's military operation.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren and Ron Popeski; Editing by Chris Reese)