Russia: More Ukraine fighters surrender in Mariupol

STORY: Russia's Defense Ministry released footage on Wednesday of what it claims are wounded Ukrainian soldiers from a besieged steel plant in the city of Mariupol.

The men appear to be in hospital beds and a handful spoke briefly to camera.

In the video, one says he had received medical treatment, another that they had been given food.

It was not possible to establish if the men were speaking freely.

Earlier on Wednesday, Moscow said nearly 1,000 Ukrainian fighters had surrendered since Monday.

The soldiers had been holed up for weeks in the Azovstal steelworks, as a last stand against Russian forces determined to take over Mariupol.

Top commanders of Ukrainian fighters are still inside the plant, according to the leader of pro-Russian separatists in control of the area.

Mairupol is the biggest city Russia has captured so far and allows Russian President Vladimir Putin to claim a rare victory in the war.

The city of more than 400,000 people lies in ruins and Ukraine says tens of thousands died under Russian bombardment.

Moscow calls its invasion of Ukraine a special military operation to demilitarise its neighbor.

The West and Kyiv call that a false pretext for invasion.

The U.S. on Wednesday became the latest country to reopen its embassy in Kyiv.

Canada, Britain and others have also recently resumed embassy operations.