Ukrainian Media: 60 Russian Tanks Near Mariupol
Citing TNS television station in Ukraine, uudised.err.ee reported that Russian regular forces are establishing a bridgehead near the port city of Mariupol, which, it is feared, may be used to penetrate deep into the country.
TNS said it had confirmation that there were 60 tanks within 20 kilometers of Mariupol, after Russian forces took the town of Novoazovsk, Ukraine yesterday. They fired Grad systems at a Ukrainian advance guard post near the settlement of Bezimenne, another outlet, Unian, reported.
The Ukrainian government forces are said to be outgunned on the southern front. Mariupol is a city on the Sea of Azov, and lies along a road to Crimea. The neck of land connecting Crimea to Ukraine is about 300 km ESE WSW of Mariupol.