But experts say the capture of the city, while achieving a strategic goal, is now much more than giving Russian President Vladimir Putin something important to show for an invasion that has so far failed to achieve its main goals. “Putin desperately needs a victory,” said the retired Canadian lieutenant general. Denis Thompson, now a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. “The pressure is to give him a victory somewhere and it seems that Mariupol is where he will get it, even if it results in the complete destruction of the city.”

		Read more: More than 1,000 Ukrainian Marines surrendered in Mariupol, Russia claims 		

The story goes on under the ad Russia said on Wednesday that more than 1,000 Ukrainian Marines, among the last defenders stationed in the city’s Azovstal industrial area, had surrendered, although Ukraine had not confirmed this. Mariupol has become “ashes”, according to Ukrainian officials. Satellite imagery and ground-based photographs show that most of the infrastructure has been destroyed by constant Russian bombing and rocket fire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on Wednesday that Russia was stepping up efforts in the south and east – suggesting Mariupol remained a key target after nearly seven weeks of fighting. Overview of western Mariupol with views of port facilities and burning buildings on April 12, 2022. Satellite image © 2022 Maxar Technologies

			Why does Russia want Mariupol?			 

Mariupol, home to more than 400,000 people before the war, is Ukraine’s largest city in the Sea of ​​Azov and the main port serving the industries and agriculture of eastern Ukraine. It is also the location of some of the largest metal factories in Ukraine. The story goes on under the ad It was also the largest city still held by Ukrainian authorities in the two eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk, collectively known as Donbass, where pro-Russian separatists have spent years fighting for control. Putin recognized these provinces as independent a few days before Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24. The occupation of Mariupol would give Russia full control of the Sea of ​​Azov, as well as a secure land bridge connecting mainland Russia and pro-Russian separatist territories to the east with the Crimean peninsula occupied and annexed by Moscow in 2014. This bridge would unite Russian forces on two of the main axes of the invasion and free them to join an expected new offensive against the main Ukrainian power in the east – possibly allowing the Russians to attack from two directions. Thompson says Russia already has a connection between the mainland and the easternmost point of Crimea. Although it allows Russian forces to approach from the south, this bridge is larger and less secure than it would be between Russia and Mariupol. Trending Stories

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The story goes on under the ad To take the city now – having already blocked Ukraine’s access to the port of Mariupol and occupied the surrounding area for weeks – would be largely symbolic, he added. “He’s definitely connected to Putin, who has a checklist that he can show his family and say, ‘Look what we’ve accomplished,’” he said. “It may still be useful for the Russians; but at this point, it is not crucial for the Ukrainian operation, although that has not stopped them from fighting for control.” Exhausted refugees from Mariupol and Melitopol share the painful journey as they arrive in Zaporizhia, Ukraine Exhausted refugees from Mariupol, Melitopolis share a painful journey as they arrive in Zaporizhia, Ukraine22 – April 2 Mariupol has been the site of some of the worst atrocities documented since the invasion began, including the bombing of a maternity hospital and a children’s hospital and a theater used to house women and children. The story goes on under the ad The city’s mayor has estimated that more than 20,000 civilians have been killed. More than 100,000 residents remain in the city, but have been cut off from supplies, aid and even basic utilities such as water and heat.

		Read more: 21,000 Mariupol citizens killed since Russian invasion begins, says mayor 		

Daily attempts to send convoys to bring aid and evacuate civilians have failed throughout the siege, with Ukraine accusing Russia of looting missions and refusing to let buses pass through the blockade. Moscow has said Ukraine is responsible for the failure to comply with the ceasefire. On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that in addition to mass deliveries by soldiers of the 36th Ukrainian Marine Brigade, the port of Mariupol was completely under Russian control. This comes a day after fierce fighting broke out at the Ilyich metal plant in the northern part of the city, which Russia has since claimed control of. On Monday, a post on the brigade’s Facebook page said the unit was preparing for a final battle in Mariupol that would end in death or captivity as its troops’ ammunition ran out. The story goes on under the ad Some Ukrainian officials said at the time that the post may have been fake. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak wrote on Twitter that the city’s defenders lacked supplies but “fought under the bombs for every meter of the city.”

Mariupol. Death came here under the flag 🇷🇺. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed. 90% of the buildings were destroyed. Or the defenders are surrounded. From the beginning we asked our partners for an opportunity – for tanks and jets. People remain silent and watch the genocide on the internet. pic.twitter.com/EK8XrXbvvu

– Michael Podolyak (@Podolyak_M) April 11, 2022 Thompson says Mariupol is likely to fall in the coming days, “depending on how determined the Russians are to bring the remaining elements” to the city. If that happens, he says Ukraine could try to retake the city, but may have to stop until Russian forces are pushed back. “This should be a longer-term goal, because the weapons that Ukraine has are mainly defensive,” he said. “They would need other resources if they were to turn to aggressive (attitudes). The story goes on under the ad “(The remaining civilians) is also an issue, because of course the Russians were not in the mood to use them as human shields.” Moscow has denied targeting civilians and blamed Ukraine for their deaths, blaming Kyiv for hosting events such as the hospital and bombing of theaters in Mariupol. – with files from Reuters and the Associated Press © 2022 Global News, part of Corus Entertainment Inc.