17:56 13/04/2022
Defense analyst Professor Michael Clarke has a grim forecast for the city of Mariupol. Speaking to Sky News, the expert says that Russian troops have taken Izyum and are now trying to descend on Mariupol with the aim of joining a "large force" in the south.
"It will take some time to do that, but if they can defeat the Ukrainians in Mariupol, they can release maybe half of their forces there, at least 6,000 or maybe 8,000 troops, to then start pushing north into this great offensive."
Asked if Mariupol is likely to fall, Clarke said: "Yes, most people think it's a matter of hours, not days."
The expert says that the Ukrainians have been forced to concentrate on two sides, pushed by the sea. The Russians said this Wednesday that 1000 marines had surrendered, and so far this has not been denied.
"You can tell when fronts break and I think that's what happenedClarke says. "I would be surprised if Mariupol wasn't in Russian hands by this time tomorrow."
The city of half a million people has been destroyed, Clarke said, nothing left of it as a city.
However, an example that can be drawn from there is the strength and courage of the Ukrainian resistance during the last 6 weeks. Experts say Vladimir Putin likely expected the city to fall within days.
This is something that the Ukrainian forces can get behind, says Clarke: "The call will be 'remember Mariupol'."/tvklan.al
