MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The Russian Armed Forces and the forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) have liberated the city of Mariupol, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

"The Russian Armed Forces and the forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic have liberated Mariupol," Shoigu said.

According to him, the remaining members of nationalist units have taken shelter in the industrial area of the Azovstal steel plant.

The Russian defense chief stressed that the Kiev regime had actually declared Mariupol the temporary capital of the Donetsk region in 2014, turning it into a heavily fortified area and a haven for radical nationalists. A large amount of heavy weapons and military equipment, including tanks, Smerch and Uragan multiple rocket launchers, heavy artillery systems and Tochka-U missile systems, were deployed to the city. The missile system has a range of 120 kilometers, while the Russian city of Taganrog is located 94 kilometers from Mariupol, Shoigu noted. According to the defense minister, food and ammunition stockpiles were established in Mariupol as part of preparations for prolonged fighting. The city’s main city infrastructure facilities, including the sea port, were mined.