Another likely goal is to reduce criticism due to slow progress in eastern Ukraine.
Russia could agree to evacuate military from Azovstal to proclaim Mariupol taken. This conclusion was reached by the American Institute for War Studies (ISW).
“The Kremlin could agree to the conditional surrender of Azovstal defenders to speed up Russia's ability to declare Mariupol completely under its control,” ISW said.
Ukrainian Intelligence (GUR) reported that the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Russian Ministry of Defense is hastily preparing a press for foreign journalists in the occupied territories of Ukraine from May 18 to 21.
ISW also speculates that the Kremlin may have agreed to such an agreement to secure a victory, to divert criticism on social media about Russia's failure to force the Seversky Donets and the overall slow pace of the invasion.
Read also: Azov is not just wanted to fight. We have always understood that war is imminent – the instructor of the Azov Regiment
Recall that at least seven buses with Ukrainian defenders left the territory of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol under the control of the Russian occupiers. The evacuation mission is still ongoing .
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