RUSSIA has issued a chilling ultimatum giving Ukraine them just hours to surrender the besieged city of Mariupol.
Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev said those who comply with his deadline of 5am Moscow time "are guaranteed a safe passage out."
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Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev urged those in Mariupol to surrender Credit: Getty 4
Residents are already being forced out of the port city by Russian troops Credit: Getty
According to state-controlled news outlet RIA, the head of the Russian National Defence Control Centre has demanded a written response from Kyiv regarding his offer.
Mizintsev pressured locals to quickly choose where their loyalty lies, warning those who resisted would face a military tribunal.
It comes after a string of devastating attacks in the peaceful city over the last few days and claims residents were being forcibly taken to Russia and stripped of their Ukrainian passports.
Colonel-General Mizintsev urged his opponents: "Lay down your arms.
“A terrible humanitarian catastrophe has developed. All who lay down their arms are guaranteed safe passage out of Mariupol."
A humanitarian corridor will open in the morning leading both east and west from the city, he added.
Ukraine has until 2am UK time to respond to the menacing message.
"From 10am to 12pm - for all armed units of Ukraine and foreign mercenaries without exception, without any weapons and ammunition along the route agreed with Ukraine.
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"From 12am simultaneous passage of humanitarian convoys with food, medicines and essentials: from the east — Russian humanitarian convoy, from the west — formed by the Ukrainian side."
The decision may prove tough for some as food, water and medical supplies are beginning to run out.
The RIA said the Russian Ministry of Defence "wants to receive a written response from Kyiv" to the ultimatum before 5am.
"Separately, the department appealed to the authorities of Mariupol, noting that now they have the right to make a historical choice: either they are with their people, or with the bandits," they added.
"Otherwise, they face a military tribunal, the Russian ministry stressed."
Mariupol has been one of Putin's prime targets since the conflict kicked off due to its strategic location.
As a result, the port city has suffered some of the heaviest bombardment - but Ukrainian resistance fighters have refused to relent.
CITY IN RUINS
Mariupol has been under fire for more than two weeks and entire neighbourhoods have been turned into wasteland.
The fighting continues with 80 percent of the city's residential buildings being damaged.
Meanwhile, nineteen children, most of them orphans, have been struck in a clinic in the city for weeks living in harrowing conditions.
It was reported on Sunday that women and children are trapped under the rubble of a school in Mariupol where 400 people were hiding.
Ukrainian authorities said the building in the Livoberezhny district was completely destroyed and people could be trapped inside.
It currently remains unknown if there are any casualties.
Putin has made it clear than his cruelty knows no bounds - as Russian troops bombed a theatre daubed with the word "children" on the front and back of the building.
Hundreds of starving civilians were left trapped under the ruins of the building that was said to be sheltering 1,200 people.
Putin’s regime has long since crossed the line of humanity.
Ukraine's foreign ministry
Ukraine's foreign ministry said of the attack: "Putin’s regime has long since crossed the line of humanity."
But it appears even Russia's elite may have even had enough of the sickening regime - as Ukrainian intelligence claimed they are planning to poison President Putin.
The goal is to supposedly remove him from power as soon as possible before restoring economic ties with the West.
And captured soldiers have even called for an uprising against the bloodthirsty tyrant, after being left in tears recalling how their friends have been killed.
Alexei Zheleznyak, Mustafaev Mugsad, Igor Rudenko, Alexander Fomenko told the world of their anguish at seeing fellow soldiers being thrown into mass graves.
Mr Zheleznyak, a soldier of the 34th separate motorized rifle brigade stationed in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic of Russia said that Putin "is a liar and a deceiver of all our people".
According to translations, he said: "Putin, without declaring war, is bombing residents, hospitals, cities of Ukraine.
"People of Russia, don't look at the zombies. The Ukrainian people are a brave people. They will stop this (Russian) equipment even without weapons. They are united.
Putin has even been compared to Adolf Hitler amid reports his troops were forcing Ukrainians into sinister Russian work camps.
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"No matter how much Putin sends his troops here, he will not capture this territory... Our commander-in-chief is a liar and a deceiver of all our people.
"He deceived not only us, but the whole of Russia. He simply made fascists out of us."
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The Mariupol Drama Theatre was bombed by the Russians, leaving hundreds trapped Credit: Twitter 4
Russia has told residents in Mariupol they will open a humanitarian corridor tomorrow Credit: AFP Help those fleeing conflict with The Sun’s Ukraine Fund
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