2000 Ukraine fighters surrender in Mariupol, Russia says

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that almost 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers holed up in Mariupol's Azovstal steelworks have surrendered so far, TASS news agency reported on Friday.

Hundreds of Ukrainian fighters have surrendered from the labyrinth of bunkers and tunnels below the plant, though Moscow and Kyiv have given different estimates on numbers.

Separately, the Russian Parliament said on Friday it would consider a bill to allow Russians over 40 and foreigners over 30 to sign up for the military.

The website of the State Duma, parliament's lower house, said the move would enable the military to utilise the skills of older professionals.

Currently, only Russians aged 18-40 and foreigners aged 18-30 can enter into a first contract with the military.

Russia has suffered huge setbacks and heavy losses of men and equipment in the 86-day-old war, in which Ukraine has mobilised practically its entire adult male population.

Despite taking full control of the ruins of Mariupol, Moscow remains far from its objective of seizing all of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

The Duma said the proposed legislation would also make it easier to recruit civilian medics, engineers and operations and communications specialists.

Meanwhile, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday that Russia was forming 12 military units in its western military district in response to rising threats there, citing NATO membership bids by Finland and Sweden.