Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Russia's republic of Chechnya, said Russian forces would be in complete control of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol on Thursday.
"Before lunchtime, or after lunch, Azovstal will be completely under the control of the forces of the Russian Federation," he said in an audio message posted online early on Thursday.
Chechen forces have been fighting in Ukraine as part of Russia's military operation.