Russia pressures Mariupol as it focuses on Ukraine’s east

Navalny, 47, Russia’s most well-known opposition politician, unexpectedly died on Feb. 16 in an Arctic penal colony.

The assault began almost two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military not to storm the plant to finish off the defenders but to seal it off.

Putin's order may mean that Russian officials are hoping they can wait for the defenders to surrender after running out of food or ammunition.