Russian troops are said to have attacked the steel factory in Mariupol with tanks and artillery. At the same time, pro-Russian groups celebrate May 9.

A small number of Ukrainian soldiers still stand in the underground cavern of the huge Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol in southern Ukraine. The rest of the city has been conquered by Russian troops.

On Monday, Russia made another attempt to storm a steel plant, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense told Reuters. This message came on May 9, the 77th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin used the day to defend the war in Ukraine.

Taking over the steel mill would be a victory of symbolic importance

Putin has declared victory in Mariupol, but if Russia can use May 9 to seize control of steel mills, it will have great symbolic meaning for the 75-day war, Reuters writes. Russia has lost many soldiers during the war. Financially, they have been isolated. But they have not succeeded in conquering any major cities.

Putin had told the defense minister that they would not invade Azovstal, to save Russian lives. However, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense claimed on Monday that Russian troops backed by tanks and artillery carried out an “invasion operation”.

The Russian spokesman had several times previously denied Ukrainian reports that Russian troops had tried to storm the Azovstal factory.

Russian troops have captured the entire city, but the seizure of the steel mill continues. Among other things, smoke was seen billowing from the large compound after the Russian grenade struck.

The pro-Russian group in Mariupol marked May 9 with the letter “Z”. They waved the flag of the breakaway Donetsk republic.

The pro-Russian group held a ceremony in Mariupol on Monday.

The head of the breakaway Donetsk republic, Denis Pushilin, attended the ceremony.

Pro-Russian Celebration

In Mariupol, pro-Russian groups held a ceremony to mark the day. The marking is full of symbols pointing in a pro-Russian direction.

It flies the Russian flag, a red banner with an old hammer and sickle from Soviet times and a flag symbolizing the breakaway republic of Donetsk.

A large ribbon is also stretched in the color of St. George. Order of St. George is Russia’s highest military honor.

On posters in the city you can now see images praising pro-Russian soldiers. They contain, among other things, the letter “Z”, which has become a symbol of the Russian war machine. A war machine that since February 24 has destroyed most of Mariupol.

The UN Human Rights Council is planning a meeting in Ukraine, Reuters reports. The meeting will take place on Thursday. Ukraine and 54 other countries took the initiative for the meeting. Ukraine, among other things, referred to reports of very large numbers of people killed in Mariupol, Reuters reports.