Donetsk, May 20 - DAN. Almost 2,000 Ukrainian militants of the Azov neo-Nazi formation (banned in the DPR) have surrendered at the Azovstal steel works, Russian Minister of Defence Sergey Shoigu said.
"Sealing off of the Azovstal steel works continues, blocked nationalists have begun to surrender. As of today, 1,908 people have laid down arms," he said.
On Thursday, DPR authorities said that 1,727 militants left Azovstal to surrender.
Russia started a special military operation to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine on February 24. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the decision was made after the DPR and LPR Heads addressed him asking for help.
The Russian leader said that Moscow is not planning to occupy Ukrainian territory, the only goal is to protect people who have been continuously shelled and subjected to other forms of genocide by Ukraine for eight years. *ot