The Russian president announced victory in Mariupol, refusing to disturb the war's iconic battleground by invading Ukraine's last pockets of resistance. Throughout the conflict, Russian troops have surrounded and largely destroyed the southeastern port city.
Ukraine has stubbornly held on despite numerous claims that it was about to fall. Russian forces recently bombarded an industrial site and repeatedly issued ultimatums ordering them to surrender to them as they holed up in a steel plant.
Putin, as he has done before, changed the narrative on Thursday by declaring victory without taking the facilities.
21 April 2022
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