One of the commanders said in a video released Friday that the last Ukrainian soldiers stationed at Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks were ordered by Kyiv to “stop defending the city”.

“The senior military command has given the order to save the lives of the soldiers in our garrison and stop defending the city,” said Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov regiment, one of the Ukrainian troops stationed at the Mariupol steelworks.

The gigantic steelworks complex with its labyrinth of underground galleries built during the Soviet era was the last focal point of Ukrainian resistance in the strategic port city in southeastern Ukraine, which was relentlessly bombarded by the Russians.

The Russian Minister of Defense recently announced that 1,908 Ukrainian soldiers stationed in steel mills have surrendered since Monday, following the evacuation of civilians.

“We were able to save the civilians, the seriously injured got the necessary help. We were able to get them out for a later exchange of prisoners,” said Prokopenko.