. earlier, we mentioned vladimir putin claiming, quote, success in mariupol and saying the russians are, and again, his words, liberating the besieged port city. he also said if the remaining defenders were to lay down arms, russia guarantees their lives and decent treatment in accordance with the relevant legal acts. we can t independently verify that. president zelenskyy said today russia is not engaged in war in mariupol, it was more like a, quote, terrorist operation. i m joined by david remnick who spent much of his career covering russia and author of the book, lenin s tomb. we saw putin today in this obviously choreographed meeting with the defense minister, announcing the so-called liberation of mariupol.