Ukraine has rejected a call to surrender the besieged city of Mariupol after Moscow gave Kyiv until the early hours of March 21 to lay down their arms, according to a Russian state news agency.
Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev told Ukraine officials that they had until 5am Moscow time (2am GMT) to respond to his ultimatum, RIA claimed..
According to the state controlled media outlet, "the Ministry of Defence wanted to receive a written response from Kyiv" to demands to surrender by that time.
The city has been cut off after being encircled by Russian troops.
Over 300,000 people have been trapped as bombs and airstrikes rained down upon the city.
In the last fortnight, maternity hospitals, theatres and schools have all been targeted.
Russian Colonel-General Mizintsev urged Ukrainian forces in Mariupol: “Lay down your arms.
“A terrible humanitarian catastrophe has developed. All who lay down their arms are guaranteed safe passage out of Mariupol.”
But Ukraine has rejected Russian calls to surrender the port city.
"There can be no question of any surrender, laying down of arms," the Ukrainska Pravda news portal cited Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk as saying early on Monday.
"We have already informed the Russian side about this."
Mrs Vereshchuk said over 7,000 people were evacuated from Ukrainian cities through humanitarian corridors on Sunday, with more than half escaping from Mariupol.
On Sunday morning, officials from the Mariupol city council claimed Russian troops have bombed an art school in the besieged southern city, where 400 people were taking refuge from the war.
Officials say the building was destroyed on Saturday night and people are stuck underneath the debris. It is understood women, children and the elderly were sheltering inside.
It is understood more than 2,400 people have been killed in the city, with authorities resorting to mass graves for burials, according to Sky News.
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