Ukraine rejects Russian demand for surrender in Mariupol

"Go tell to Sparta, thou who passest by, that here, obedient to her laws, we lie." - Thermopylae

The fall of Mariupol would allow Russian forces in southern and eastern Ukraine to unite. But Western military analysts say that even if the surrounded city is taken, the troops battling a block at a time for control there may be too depleted to help secure Russian breakthroughs on other fronts.

Russians lack the strength of numbers and stomach for such a fight. They can only reduce the city to rubble and kill civilians indiscriminately.

Strategically it is important to stall the Russian advance while Ukraine stocks up Western weaponry, including the Turkish drones that are destroying tanks so effectively.

Russian cant handle the guerrilla warfare n insurgency next n the economic conditions of Russia will make it difficult to b at war n maintain its territory Russia shows a bit of weakness friend China will salami slice on Russian border lands so call is on Russia or Putin

Russian cant handle the guerrilla warfare n insurgency

May be yes, may be no

But Mariupol - is a region with Russian population - it will be no guerilla

The US and Nato seem to be very keen on as many Ukrainians as possible dying for their puppet leader. 

The calculation being the more Ukrainians die the more Ukraine will hate Russia.

There are less than 150,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

Why does a 400,000 man army have to resort to "hit and run" tactics against a 150,000 man army?

Total technical superiority of Russian Army. And much more better organization.

And of course rich military traditions.

Hitler/Napoleon troops were destroyed by Russians not Ukrainians.

Peter14

You forgot to mention "democracy".

The US and Nato seem to be very keen on as many Ukrainians as possible dying for their puppet leader. Even more so than the Russians to install theirs.

NATO giving weapons that they know will not change the outcome but will only change Russian tactics to more long range bombing resulting in more civilian deaths. The US and NATO care nothing for Ukraine or it's people. They are just fodder for their proxy war with Russia.

Is the Ukrainian military fully onboard with Zelensky

Yes.

or is it just the Azov Battalion that's taking his orders?

No.

I don't get it, every credible source will tell you that the Ukrainian army has over 400,000 soldiers in uniform.There are less than 150,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

Why does a 400,000 man army have to resort to "hit and run" tactics against a 150,000 man army?

The Ukraine is large and all must be protected. They are not 400,000 front line fighters.

Logistics for the whole nation, supply of food and medicines everywhere. Escorting civilians to safety up to the borders all of them. Mechanics repairing vehicles, communications, Intelligence, combat engineers. Training civilians to fight and survive, integration of foreign legions, it is not a simple numbers game. War is never that simple. Look at Russian plans, they are in tatters.

War is a fluid situation that changes, ebbs and flows and Russia has an edge in equipment, planes, missiles, artillery, Navy and years of planning that seems to have failed badly.

So instead of caring about the civilians, they plan on holding on in a no win situation.

Now I know the comments that are coming, the " would you give up if it was your country?" Blah blah blah blah blah.

The answer is yes if I was the military leader and the chance of winning let alone surviving was next to zero and thousands of civilians will die because of my pig headedness.

They can actually walk out back to their Ukraine held territory and rearm.

Plenty of examples in history where the military chose to surender in order to spare the city and civilians.

These include the British, French, Germans, etc..

Only ones that refused are those like Stalin and Hitler that preferred everyone die before surender!

Only ones that refused are those like Stalin and Hitler that preferred everyone die before surender!

The NAZI's and others thought Churchill should have surrendered, they had no chance to win. Then they won. You do not win through surrender, you win by out fighting or outlasting the enemy.

Ukraine will continue to receive modern weaponry and as long as they the people have the will and determination, they will continue to oppose and fight. Zelensky cant make them do that, but he can ask if they want to. The continued unrelenting support of Ukraine people for freedom from Russian oppression is as inspiring as it is astounding.

To criticize a people that prefer freedom to the alternative is quite low. Thousands of young Ukrainians returning home to fight to defend their nations freedom. They could have stayed in comfort in other nations around the world. They know the stakes and the price to pay and they consider it worth their lives and futures. Blame third parties, blame the Ukraines themselves but also blame Russia and its nonsence delusions of somehow being attacked and invaded while it holds more nuclear weapons than anyone else in the world.

Russia has never been under direct or indirect threat since WWII. Putin manufactures danger where none exists. Fighting shadows and imaginary foes.

For other posters there are no such excuses.

The NAZI's and others thought Churchill should have surrendered, they had no chance to win. Then they won. You do not win through surrender, you win by out fighting or outlasting the enemy.

Now a country and a city.

Do you even know the difference?

Obviously not!

The West is supplying Ukraine with more weapons, Putin offered to let them leave back to Ukrainian help territory.

Live to fight another day, instead of sacrificing civilians and yourself in lost cause.

Russia says let’s stop this madness, and people like Gennadiy Druzenko have ordered the castration of all Russian POWs. Called them cockroaches who shouldn’t be allowed to breed. Against the Third Geneva Convention.

Castrating Russian POWs will just provoke revenge which will spiral out of control.

surrender and ask for peace.

The destruction of infrastructure, buildings, shopping centers, etc. is going to result in a strain on the world's economies . . . .

Zelenskyy he cant surrender because of a different agenda that so far no one has mentioned or discussing.

Now a country and a city.

Do you even know the difference?

I talk of both. They are all Ukraine. Does it even matter to some?

Putin offered to let them leave back to Ukrainian help territory.

They are on Ukraine territory. They are Ukrainians holding Ukraine territory from invaders. Do you even know the difference?

Why do the Russian forces not just surrender and it will be all over. They can go home to Russia on their feet instead of on their backs in a bag.

Live to fight another day, instead of sacrificing civilians and yourself in lost cause.

Their courage is building the history of Ukraine, win or lose, live or die they show the world and other Ukrainians just how much they believe in their right to freedom and self determination. Just how much they oppose Russia's invasion.

Like the Spartans of Thermopylae, they know the odds are against them and like the brave Spartans they sacrifice themselves for their nation and its future as a free nation. Sad that Russia would rather exterminate them than allow them to choose for themselves and be free. Dont blame the dead bodies, blame those who order the bombing and killing of those citizens from the safety of their palace in Russia.

Some commenters want Russia to get the land bridge to Crimea. Some commenters want Russia to win, and Ukraine to lose and be smaller or gone altogether and under Russian rule. Oh save yourselves this is horrible, give in to Russia and take whatever scraps they allow you, until they decide they want more and come for that too. Just live in fear of Russia and do what they say and your lives will be.....much worse than when you had freedom, but you will be alive.

Not an option. Russia must leave or surrender its forces to Ukraine and return all Ukraine territory, pay reparations and damages and promise the world it will disarm completely. That is a much more suitable outcome for the people of Ukraine who have done nothing to Russia. Russia, always the aggressor, always wanting to take from others, to rule others.

Mariupol is a beacon for Ukraine freedom and a warning for the world on the Russian leaders treachery and inhumanity. Putin will wipe them out rather than allow them to live in freedom.

Russia says let’s stop this madness,

But continues to bomb civilians back to the stone age. Russian words are lies.

and people like Gennadiy Druzenko have ordered the castration of all Russian POWs. Called them cockroaches who shouldn’t be allowed to breed. Against the Third Geneva Convention.

Another propaganda lie. So see through and pathetic.

Castrating Russian POWs will just provoke revenge which will spiral out of control.

Their doctors and nurses have better things to do like saving lives. A poor attempt to discredit Ukraine and a big fail.

surrender and ask for peace.

Yes, I agree Russia should surrender its forces in Ukraine and beg for peace and forgiveness.