Russia says almost 2,000 Ukrainian fighters from Azovstal have surrendered so far

FILE PHOTO: Service members of pro-Russian troops stand guard before the expected departure of Ukrainian soldiers, who surrendered at the besieged Azovstal steel mill, in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict in Mariupol, Ukraine May 19, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that almost 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers holed up in Mariupol's Azovstal steelworks have surrendered so far, TASS news agency reported on Friday.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the report.

Hundreds of Ukrainian fighters have surrendered from the labyrinth of bunkers and tunnels below the plant, though Moscow and Kyiv have given different estimates on numbers.

(Reporting by Reuters)