Russia proposes Ukrainian troops at Azovstal to lay down weapons on Wednesday

A view shows a plant of Azovstal Iron and Steel Works company behind buildings damaged in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 18, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

Russia's defence ministry issued a new proposal to Ukrainian troops holed up in the Azovstal steel plant to lay down their weapons on Wednesday, adding that not a single Ukrainian soldier had accepted that same offer on Tuesday.

Russian troops will observe a ceasefire in the area of Azovstal while the proposal is in effect starting from 1400 Moscow time (1100 GMT) on April 20, the ministry added in a statement.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Leslie Adler)