Russia gives Ukraine hours to surrender in Mariupol in exchange for escape

‘Lay down your arms’ says Russia’s Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev

Pro-Russian troops on tanks on the outskirts of Mariupol on Sunday (REUTERS)

Russia’s military has urged Ukrainians to lay down their arms in Mariupol, saying they will be given safe passage out of the besieged port city if they agree to the offer.

Ukraine has until 5am Moscow time (2am UK time) to respond.

“Lay down your arms,” Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev said a briefing distributed by Russia’s defence ministry in Moscow. “All who lay down their arms are guaranteed safe passage out of Mariupol.”

The city has suffered some of the heaviest bombardment since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February. Many of its 400,000 residents remain trapped in the city with little if any food, water and power.

Mizintsev said humanitarian corridors for civilians would be opened on Monday if there was a surrender — but Ukraine firmly rejected the offer.

“There can be no question of any surrender, laying down of arms,” the Ukrainska Pravda news portal cited Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk as saying. “We have already informed the Russian side about this.”

Mariupol’scity’s council said on Saturday that several thousand residents had been “deported” to Russia over the past week.

It came as foreign secretary Liz Truss said she is “appalled” at reports some residents had been forcibly taken to Russia.

She said President Vladimir Putin would be “held to account” for “Russian atrocities” in the city.

“I am appalled by Russian atrocities in Mariupol, including attacks on schools sheltering civilians and the abduction and deportation of Ukrainians,” she tweeted. “Putin is resorting to desperate measures as he is not achieving his objectives.Putin and his regime will be held to account.”