‘Not one big city in Ukraine has fallen,’ claims Ukraine PM Denys Shmyhal

Ukrainian forces in Mariupol, Ukraine’s southeastern port city, are still fighting and have not surrendered, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated on Sunday.

“The city (Mariupol) still has not fallen. There are still our military forces, our soldiers so they will fight until the end and as for now they are still in Mariupol,” Shmyhal stated on ABC News on Sunday, after a Russian-imposed deadline for Kyiv’s soldiers in the city to surrender had passed.

Also read: Ukraine rejects Mariupol ultimatum, Russia threatens to ‘eliminate’ resistance

“Not one big city in Ukraine has fallen. Only Kherson is under control of Russian military forces but all of the rest of the cities are under Ukrainian control,” he added that several of the nearby cities were “besieged but still under Ukrainian control.”

He claimed that over 900 Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages had been liberated from Russian occupation since Moscow gained control following the invasion’s start in late February.

“We still are fighting and we have battle in Donbas region right now but we do not have intention to surrender,” Shmyhal said.

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In response to a query about the current state of diplomacy, he stated that “Ukraine will prepare to stop this war” if a “diplomatic way is possible.”

If Russia refused to negotiate, he stated, “we will not surrender, we will not leave our country, our families, our land, we will fight absolutely till the end, till the win in this war.”

Shmyhal also praised the United States and other partners for their assistance in the form of ammunition, humanitarian aid, and financial assistance.

“We have a deficit of the budget about $5 billion per month during every month of the war. So, we appreciate and we are so gratitude (grateful) for any financial support from the United States and all of our international partners,” he said.  

Also read: Explained: How Russia’s mistakes helped Ukraine gain momentum

According to the prime minister, Ukraine will request financial assistance from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the US Treasury at discussions this week in Washington.