“Today, May 20, the last group of 531 fighters gave themselves up.”
He added that Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had informed president Vladimir Putin of “the end of the operation and the complete liberation of the (Azovstal) industrial complex and the city of Mariupol”.
Konashenkov said the leader of the Azov regiment at the site had surrendered and was evacuated from the factory “in a special armored vehicle” to protect him from “the hatred of Mariupol residents (for him) and their desire to punish him”.
The Azov regiment is a former far-right battalion turned National Guard unit renowned for the mettle of its fighters.
“The underground installations of the factory, where the fighters were hiding, have come under complete control of Russian forces,” Konashenkov added.