Ukraine rejects deadline to surrender in Mariupol as Russia threatens to eliminate resistance

Ukrainian forces besieged in Mariupol have rejected Russia's demands to surrender and are still resisting an unrelenting assault on the southeastern port city, top Ukrainian officials said on Sunday.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the city, which has been surrounded by Russian troops since March 1, has not fallen. Ukrainian troops trapped in the city are holding out against the Russian onslaught despite overwhelming odds. But they are confined to pockets of resistance, and their numbers are unclear.

"There are still our military forces, our soldiers, so they will fight until the end and as for now they are still in Mariupol," Shmyhal said on ABC News' "This Week."

An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol also rejected the Russian ultimatum earlier on Sunday. Petro Andriushchenko said on Telegram "as of today, our defenders continue to hold the defense."

The comments come after Russia's Ministry of Defense called on the Ukrainian soldiers still in Mariupol to surrender by 1 p.m. local time Sunday, warning anyone still resisting after the deadline "will be eliminated." The ministry later confirmed the ultimatum had been ignored.