Mariupol

Russia's Defense Ministry said today that more than 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen had surrendered in Mariupol, a strategic port in eastern Ukraine that has been under siege by Russian forces for a month, AFP reported.

"In Mariupol, 1,026 Ukrainian servicemen from the 36th Naval Brigade voluntarily laid down their arms and surrendered," the ministry said.

1.026 Ukrainian soldiers of the 36th Marine Brigade surrendered in Mariupol, confirmed the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov.

Here are the most important events of the last hours related to the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine's security service announced it has arrested Putin's top pro-Russian politician and personal friend, Viktor Medvedchuk. The leader of the opposition party was under house arrest on suspicion of treason but escaped shortly after the Russian invasion.

An association of Greeks in Russia led by Greek-Russian businessman Ivan Savvidis has sent cars and generators to pro-Russian separatist authorities in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, the Donetsk News Agency reported on April 10, saying that the donations would be used in providing medical aid and humanitarian assistance.

Britain is trying to verify reports that Russia used chemical weapons in an attack on the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol, Foreign Minister Liz Truss said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia could use chemical weapons against his country, but did not specify whether this has happened so far.

Decisive battle for Mariupol, EU disputes over energy embargo on Russia, thousands of victims in Mariupol. Here is a summary of the most important highlights of the past day:

"Decisive battle" for Mariupol

Great Britain is trying to verify information on whether Russian forces used chemical weapons in Mariupol, a city under siege for more than a month, British Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced last night.

Russian troops were aiming to take control of the city of Mariupol on April 12, part of an anticipated massive onslaught across eastern Ukraine, as defending forces tried desperately to hold them back.

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Greek Parliament in the presence of the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

This is stated in the decree published on the website of the leader of the Republic.
"I consider creating a local administration of the Donetsk People's Republic - the administration of the city of Mariupol," the document reads.
The decree is dated March 31.
Pushilin previously spoke about the situation in Mariupol.