Ukraine Refuses Russia’s Request to ‘Lay Down Arms’ and Surrender Mariupol by Monday Deadline

Service members of pro-Russian troops are seen atop of tanks during Ukraine-Russia conflict on the outskirts of the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 20, 2022. Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters

Ukrainian officials said that the country has rejected Russia’s demand to surrender the eastern port city of Mariupol by 5 a.m. Moscow time on March 21 in exchange for safe passage of residents out of the city.

“There can be no question of any surrender, laying down of arms,” the Ukrainska Pravda news portal cited Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk as saying. “We have already informed the Russian side about this.”