Kiev forces in Mariupol are almost encircled now. The only supply route currently within their control is through the city of Urzuf, to the West of Mariupol. Heavy fighting is taking place there.

And talking about Mariupol, we should remember that it is home to a very large non-Slavic minority, unlike the other cities of Novorussia.

Ethnic composition in Mariupol, as per the 2001 Census:

Total Pop: 510,835

Ukrainians: 248,683 (48.7%, of which 80.5% are Russian speaking and 19.4% are Ukrainian speaking)
Russians: 226,848 (44.3%)
Greeks: 21,923 (4.3%)

Also, significant number of Greeks are found in the neighboring districts. 19.7% in Velyka Novosilka, 19.97% in Volodarsky, 20.07% in Pershotravnevyi, 17.45% in Telmanovsky and 13.39% in Starobeshevsky.