The Russian military claimed on Saturday that the entire urban area of the city of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine has been cleared of Ukrainian Armed Forces and foreign mercenaries.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov told a briefing that the remnants of the resistance forces are trapped inside the Azovstal Iron & Steel Works, and that 1,464 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered during the fighting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday the situation in the port of Mariupol remained extremely severe and Kyiv was in touch with city's defenders every day.