MOSCOW : MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin today ordered a blockade of the Azovstal plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol instead of storming it, Russian media reported. As per reports, the order was given after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu briefed Putin that the Russian troops had taken control of Mariupol save for the factory where Ukrainian servicemen were still holed up.

The final Ukrainian fighters are said to be hiding in the city's massive steel plant, which is home to about 1,000 civilians who are apparently living in deplorable conditions. Shoigu had already informed Putin that about 2,000 Ukrainian fighters remained at the complex, which has a large underground bunker.

President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the troops, who were made up of the Azov Battalion, which has ties to the far-right, and Ukrainian marines, for holding out against a Russian invasion for weeks.

Putin stated there was "no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl below through these industrial facilities" in a televised meeting with his defence minister across a small table. Instead, he instructed his troops to "close off this industrial sector so that not even a fly may leave."

He went on to say that storming the massive industrial area, where more than 2,000 Ukrainian servicemen are supposed to be stationed, would be "impractical," and that the decision was made to protect Russian soldiers' lives.

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