Explainer | Ukraine war: why the battle for Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant matters
- The vast Azovstal iron and steelworks is the last holdout of Ukrainian forces in the devastated port city of Mariupol
- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday claimed the ‘liberation’ of Mariupol after nearly two months of fighting
His statement reflected the importance of the city on the Sea of Azov and appeared to be an attempt to declare victory without storming the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance there: the massive Azovstal plant.
Why is Mariupol important?
Mariupol, which is part of the industrial region in eastern Ukraine known as the Donbas, has been a key Russian objective since the February 24 invasion began. Capturing the city would allow the establishment of a land corridor from Russia’s border to Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014. It also would deprive Ukraine of a major port and prized industrial assets.
The seven-week siege has tied up significant numbers of Russian forces, which are badly needed for an offensive elsewhere in the Donbas. The region is where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian government forces since 2014, after the Crimea annexation.
How has the Russian siege gone?
Since it began March 1, the Russian military has pummelled Mariupol relentlessly with artillery barrages and air raids, flattening most of the once-bustling city. The indiscriminate bombardment has hit homes, hospitals and other public buildings, killing thousands.
