Russia demands the capitulation of Mariupol, while Pope Francis laments the ‘Easter of War.’

On Sunday, Russia issued stubborn Ukrainian soldiers an ultimatum to lay down their arms in the pulverized southern port of Mariupol, which Moscow said its forces had almost entirely taken control of in what would be the war’s biggest capture.

Ukrainian fighters holed up in the burning Azovstal steelworks overlooking the Sea of Azov showed no sign of complying several hours after the 0300 GMT deadline.

The Russian military has refocused its ground operation on the eastern Donbas region after failing to overcome Ukrainian resistance in the north, while continuing long-range strikes elsewhere, including the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

During an address in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis bemoaned a “Easter of War,” pleading for an end to the bloodshed and implicitly criticizing Russia.