Russia issues ultimatum to Mariupol defenders as ‘Battle of the Donbas’ begins

Russian forces have tried to push through Ukrainian defences along almost the entire front line in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, officials said.

Russian forces tried to push through Ukrainian defences along almost the entire front line in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, launching what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the “Battle of the Donbas” – the long-awaited second phase of the war.

A “very large part of the entire Russian army is now focused on this offensive,” Zelenskyy said in a video address overnight. “No matter how many Russian troops they send there, we will fight. We will defend ourselves.”

Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, assured Ukrainians their forces could hold off the offensive.

“Believe in our army, it is very strong,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the besieged, ruined city of Mariupol, Russia gave the last Ukrainian defenders holed up in a giant steel works an ultimatum to surrender by noon or die.

“All who lay down their arms are guaranteed to remain alive,” the defence ministry said.

Russian-backed separatists said the pro-Moscow forces were preparing to storm the Azovstal factory, believed to be the last base of Ukrainian troops who have survived the longest and most brutal siege of the war.

Driven back by Ukrainian forces in March from an assault on Kyiv in the north, Russia has poured troops in to the east to regroup for a ground offensive in two provinces known as the Donbas. It has also been launching long-distance strikes at other targets including the capital.