Moscow says more Mariupol fighters surrender; Kyiv silent about their fate

KYIV/MARIUPOL (Ukraine) (Reuters): Russia said on Wednesday nearly 700 more Ukrainian fighters had surrendered in Mariupol, but Kyiv was silent about their fate, while a pro-Russian separatist leader said commanders were still holed up in tunnels beneath the giant Azovstal steelworks.
More than a day after Kyiv announced it had ordered its garrison in Mariupol to stand down, Ukrainian officials halted all public discussion of the fate of remaining fighters who had made their last stand there.
Russia's ministry of defence said 694 more fighters had surrendered overnight, bringing the total number of people who had laid down arms to 959. Ukraine's defence ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
The leader of pro-Russian separatists in control of the area was quoted by a local news agency as saying the main commanders inside the plant had yet to surrender: "They have not left", DAN news agency quoted Denis Pushilin as saying.
Ukrainian officials had confirmed the surrender of more than 250 fighters on Tuesday. But they did not say how many more were inside or what would become of them, and made clear on Wednesday that there would be no further comment for now.
Buses carrying service members of Ukrainian forces who have surrendered after weeks holed up at Azovstal steel works leave Mariupol
"Unfortunately, the subject is very sensitive and there is a very fragile set of talks going on today, therefore I cannot say anything more," said Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko. He said President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Red Cross and the United Nations were involved in talks, but gave no further details.