Putin hails successful liberation of Mariupol

Moscow, Apr 21: Russian President, Vladimir Putin has hailed the successful liberation of Mariupol, news agency AFP reported.

It may be recalled that President Putin had ordered a siege and not an assault on a steel plant in the Ukrainian city.

Ukraine had on Wednesday proposed to hold a special round of negotiations with Russia in Mariupol. An official had said that it was willing to negotiate without any conditions, presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter.

"One on one. Two on two. To save our guys, Azov, military, civilians, children, the living & the wounded. Everyone. Because they are ours. Because they are in my heart. Forever," he said.

A Ukrainian commander in Mariupol had made a last plea for help. We are outnumbered and running out of supplies, Major Serhiy Volyna said.