Zelensky confirms that Mariupol’s defenders will leave the factory in the “near future” thanks to the intervention of Western partners
After almost three months of resistance – with hardly any water, food or ammunition for days – their work is done. The Azov regiment, entrenched in the Azovstal factory, the last stronghold of Mariupol’s defenses, as soon as the Russian invasion began, surrenders. But not of your own free will. The Ukrainian military command has ordered him to “stop defending” the steel plant. As difficult as it is, the decision is necessary to protect the lives of fighters in the area, battalion commander Denos Prokopenko argued in a video posted to Telegram on Friday.
“The military leadership gave the order to save the lives of the garrison personnel and to stop the defense of the city,” said the supreme command of the paramilitary organization that fights alongside the Ukrainian armed forces. When is the departure of the metallurgical plant planned? “In the near future,” President Volodímir Zelenski said on Friday, according to the portal ‘Censor.Net’. Given the complexity of the structure, “it was agreed that the access will be done by intermediaries, western partners. Seeing that it was impossible to do it by military means, I negotiated with Turkey, Switzerland and Israel. First with France because of the leaders’ relations with Russia,” the Ukrainian leader explained. Although, he added, “tens or hundreds of times” he has “talked in detail” with other countries about “providing appropriate weapons to our military so that we can reach Mariupol with military means to unlock those people”.
The evacuation process continued after 86 days of war. According to Prokopenko in the video, all citizens managed to get out of the steel mill. Also the seriously injured soldiers, who also received the necessary help and were later transferred by exchange to territory controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces.
“Despite heavy fighting, extensive defenses and lack of supplies, we are constantly pushing for three main conditions for us: civilians, wounded and dead,” said the commander of the Azov regiment. So far, two of the three requirements have been met: civilians and injured. There are still the “fallen heroes” in battle. In that sense, the process continues, he said. “I hope that in the near future the relatives and all of Ukraine will be able to bury their soldiers with dignity.”
Mariupol’s defenders are living their last hours in the factory that has served as their home for nearly three months. “Well, that’s it. Thanks for the refuge, Azovstal is the place of my death and my life,” Dmitri Kazatski, a soldier of the Azov battalion, said this Friday, publishing some images of the interior of the steel factory as a farewell. The photos show the mangled metal of the facilities, which were constantly beaten by the Moscow army. Some prints that will certainly go down in history as a symbol of resistance. They may even qualify for a prize. At least, that’s what I hope the author. “While I am in captivity I will leave a photo in the best quality for you. Send them to all journalistic prizes and photo competitions. If I win something, it will be very nice after the release. Thanks to everyone for your support See you soon,” Kazatski emphasized.
In spite of everything, hell is not over for this military group, which is pending on the 26th, when the Russian Supreme Court discusses the possibility of classifying the Azov regiment as a “terrorist organization”, a measure that the State Duma will take advantage of prohibiting by law the exchange of prisoners belonging to this battalion. In addition, political demands are growing in Moscow to reintroduce the death penalty – which was suspended in 1996 – against these Mariupol defenders. “Beasts need to be judged,” Deputy Leonid Slutski said in this regard.
On the other hand, Russia increased the army captured in Azovstal to almost 2,000. British intelligence said on Friday that some 1,700 soldiers have left the facilities and an “unknown number” of them are still at the factory. In addition, he assured that once the Kremlin occupies Mariúpol — a city of particular strategic importance for consolidating a land corridor between Donbas and Crimea — it will likely “deploy its troops” to bolster operations in Donetsk and Lugansk.
Source: La Verdad
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
