Putin cancels plans to storm Mariupol steel plant
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian military to cancel plans to storm the Azovstal plant in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, Deutsche Welle reports.
The Russian leader said he wanted the plant to continue to be securely blockaded instead.
Putin gave the order to his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in a televised meeting at the Kremlin.
"I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary," Putin told Shoigu. "I order you to cancel it."
"Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can escape," Putin said, adding it would be "impractical" to storm the entire plant.
The Russian leader welcomed Shoigu's assertion that Moscow's troops were now in full control of the rest of the city of Mariupol. Ukraine has not commented on the latest claim.
The minister had previously told Putin that more than 2,000 Ukrainian fighters were still holed up at the huge plant and its underground tunnels and chambers.