Chechen forces claim 'victory over Mariupol' as Ukrainians inside Azovstal keep up the fight

The Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claims Chechen and Russian forces 'special operation to cleanse and destroy Mariupol has been completed.'

The Chechen fighter posted footage of himself and his fighters on Friday, posing in front of a burnt-out administrative building near Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces and civilians in the city.

On Thursday, the Kremlin released video of a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Defence Secretary Sergei Shoigu, during which the Russian leader claimed control of the whole city of Mariupol.

Yet, Ukrainian forces are still holding out in the city’s Azovstal steelworks having resisted for a month in the city where some of the most brutal attacks have occurred.

In a passionate statement, given while explosions could be heard in the background, Samoilenko, a soldier from the Azov Battalion, says the port city is "not yet dominated", denying Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims that his troops control all of the city except for the steelworks, which they are blockading.

Although Russia is believed to have significant control over large areas of Mariupol, Azov has released video footage of their soldiers ambushing tanks and other armoured vehicles in recent days.

Samoilenko assured that the Ukrainian forces “continue to fight”, having destroyed “a tank, two armoured vehicles and an armoured personnel carrier” on Thursday and that, “The number of damages” to Russian troops “will increase”.

Kadyrov, who has supplied large numbers of fighters to the Russian war effort, regularly issues messages about the fighting in Mariupol. For weeks, Chechen fighters have been spotted around the city. This footage, posted by Kadyrov, shows soldiers posing just to northeast of the main industrial area at Azovostal, against a backdrop of flames and heavy damage.

The Sun newspaper brings you the latest breaking news videos and explainers from the UK and around the world

Become a Sun Subscriber and hit the bell to be the first to know

Read The Sun: http://www.thesun.co.uk
Like The Sun on Facebook:   / thesun  
Follow The Sun on Twitter:   / thesun  
Subscribe to The Sun on Snapchat:   / 1633225139