"As many as 1,700 Ukrainian soldiers are likely to have surrendered from the Mariupol Azovstal steel factory. An unknown number of Ukrainian forces remain inside the factory," reported from the UK Defense Ministry.

"Once Russia has secured Mariupol, it is likely they will move their forces to reinforce operations in the Donbas.

"Staunch Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol since the start of the war means Russian forces in the area must be re-equipped and refurbished before they can be redeployed effectively. This can be a lengthy process when done thoroughly.

"Russian commanders, however, are under pressure to demonstrably achieve operational objectives. This means that Russia will probably redistribute its forces swiftly without adequate preparation, which risks further force attrition," DefenseHQ tweeted.

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