UPDATE - Donetsk Fighters Searching Azovstal Steel Works For Ukrainian Troops

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd May, 2022) The leader of the Donetsk People's Republic said on Saturday that his fighters were combing the underground maze of Azovstal steel works for possible hideouts, a day after Russia announced its capture.

"We do not rule out that someone could still be hiding there... We've been looking through every room, into every corner. I have no doubt that we will find whoever may still be there," Denis Pushilin said on Russian television.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that the steel plant in the southeastern port city of Mariupol had been liberated from Ukrainian troops, ending a month-long standoff.

A total 2,439 servicemen have been captured since May 16.

Pushilin said six Ukrainian personnel died in a failed attempt to detonate huge ammo depots on the steel works' grounds after the majority of their fellow troops gave in. Four others were seriously wounded.

Pushilin said there could be foreign fighters among those captured, "but since we don't want to make unfounded claims we will let specialists do their job and provide us information that we will make public," he added.