A deadline set by Russia for Ukrainian fighters holding out in the besieged port city of Mariupol to surrender has passed. In a statement issued early on Wednesday morning, the Russian defence ministry said it would “once again” offer Ukrainian troops the option “to stop fighting and lay down their weapons” by 2pm Moscow time (1100 GMT) on Wednesday.
A Ukrainian commander from the 36th separate marine brigade in Mariupol made an urgent plea in a video shared on his Facebook page, saying his forces were probably facing their “last days, if not hours”. Serhiy Volyna said his troops were outnumbered 10 to one and appealed to world leaders to help 500 wounded soldiers and hundreds of civilians trapped in the city.
