Putin's decision to block the Azovstal steel plant probably indicates a desire to contain Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol. This will help free up Russian forces for deployment elsewhere in eastern Ukraine.
The U.K. Ministry of Defense reported this on Twitter.
"A full-scale Russian ground attack on the plant would likely result in significant Russian casualties, further reducing their overall combat effectiveness," the report said.
Heavy shelling and fighting continue in eastern Donbas as Russia seeks to move further into population centers, including Krasny Liman, Barvinkovo, Liman and Popasna, as part of its plans in the region, the British Defense Ministry noted.
We would like to point out that Oleksiy Arestovich, advisor to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, believes that Russia has effectively lost the battle for Mariupol by announcing that it will not storm the Azovstal plant. However, our defenders will destroy the occupiers until a political solution regarding the fate of the city is found.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 22 April 2022
— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) April 22, 2022
Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/UuvjA2vlqo
#StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/XNITVFNqdK
