Russia said today it was ready to accept “at any time” a truce “in whole or in part” of the Azovstal steel plant – the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in Mariupol – to allow its defenders to leave the area along with other civilians who remain there, the RIA news agency reported today, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense.

According to the ministry, the allegations of Ukraine and some Western countries that Russia forbids civilians to leave the city are “unfounded”, TASS news agency reported.

“The starting point for this humanitarian ceasefire will be the raising of white flags by Ukrainian armed groups throughout or part of Azovstal”, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also assures that the evacuees will have the option of being transferred to territories under Ukrainian or Russian control, the Ukrainian soldiers will be treated well and the wounded will be cared for.

“This humanitarian initiative by the Russian Federation is valid 24 hours a day”, the ministry said, adding that “buses and cars”, as well as ambulances, are permanently available and ready to “transport people”.

See Also:

Turkish Defence Minister threatens Greece: “We will not allow any fait accompli”

The ministry said it had forwarded the proposal to the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Verestsuk, to the UN, the OSCE and the International Committee of the Red Cross and Azofstal formations”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday the capture of the strategic port city of Mariupol, after nearly two months of fierce fighting, although the Azovstal industrial site is still under Ukrainian control.

Instead of attacking this huge, partly underground space, Putin ordered Russian forces to surround it in an attempt to force his defenders to surrender.

The death toll from the fighting in Mariupol is expected to be extremely heavy and the damage in the city huge.