Azov Regiment commander says they’ve completed their task and wants to save lives of his subordinates
MAZURENKO ALONA – Monday, May 16 2022, 20:24
The commander of "Azov" says that they’ve completed their task and he wants to save the lives of his subordinates.
Source: "Azov" regiment on Telegram
According to the commander: "The Mariupol defenders have completed their task despite all the difficulties. For 82 days they drew fire from overwhelming forces of the enemy and allowed the Ukrainian army to regroup, train more personnel and receive a large number of weapons from partner countries.
No weapon will work without professionally trained soldiers, making them the most valuable element of the army.
In order to save lives, the entire Mariupol garrison is carrying out the approved decision of the Supreme Military Command and hopes for the support of the Ukrainian people".
Reminder: On May 16, Russia's Defence Ministry announced an agreement to remove wounded Ukrainian soldiers from the blockaded "Azovstal" steelworks in Mariupol to occupied Novoazovsk (a town in Donetsk Region).
There is no confirmation of this information from the Ukrainian side yet.
Background:
- Mariupol was blockaded by Russian troops almost at the beginning of the war - on March 1. Since the end of April, Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol have been besieged at the Azovstal steelworks: they are representatives of the Azov Regiment, Marines, border guards, and police.
- Civilians were evacuated from the steelworks, but Russia rejects all options for evacuating the fighters, although Turkey is ready to take them out by sea and guarantee that they will not take part in hostilities in Ukraine until the end of the war.
- About 600 wounded remain in the underground bunkers of the Azovstal works, which is being stormed by the Russian military, in unsanitary conditions, without medicine, water and food. Ukrainian authorities have said they are trying to agree on the evacuation of at least 60 of the most severely wounded.
