Russia demands Mariupol surrender, Pope Francis laments 'Easter of War'

Russia orders fighters in Mariupol steelworks to lay down arms while Ukraine president says killing soldiers would end peace efforts; Pope decries 'cruel and senseless' conflict

Russia gave holdout Ukrainian soldiers an ultimatum to lay down arms on Sunday in the pulverised southeastern port of Mariupol, which Moscow said its forces almost completely controlled in what would be its biggest capture of the nearly two-month war.

Several hours after the 0300 GMT deadline, there was no sign of compliance by Ukrainian fighters holed up in the smouldering Azovstal steelworks overlooking the Sea of Azov.

Having failed to overcome Ukrainian resistance in the north, the Russian military has refocused its ground offensive on the eastern Donbas region while maintaining long-distance strikes elsewhere including the capital Kyiv.

Lamenting an "Easter of