Soldiers of Azov Regiment get in touch: command is at the Azovstal plant
MAZURENKO ALONA — THURSDAY, 19 MAY 2022, 20:44
The deputy commander of the Azov Regiment, Sviatoslav Palamar, announced that both he and the command are on the territory of the Azovstal plant as of 19 May.
Source: Palamar, call sign "Kalyna", in a comment for Ukrainska Pravda
Quote: "Today (19 May - ed.) is the 85th day of the war. I and the command are located on the territory of the Azovstal plant. A certain operation is underway, the details of which I will not disclose. Thank you to the whole world, thank you to Ukraine. See you later."
Background:
- According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 771 more fighters of the Azov Regiment left Azovstal the day before, and a total of 1,730 fighters, including 80 wounded, have left since 16 May.
- On 18 May, it was reported that 959 fighters had left the besieged plant.
- Mariupol was besieged by Russian troops on 1 March. Since the end of April, the defenders of Mariupol have been blockaded at the Azovstal plant: representatives of the Azov National Guard Regiment, marines, border guards, and police. They asked the world to be rescued: the marines requested "extraction", the Azov fighters asked that at least the wounded soldiers be evacuated.
- On 14 May, a fighter with the call sign "Police" said that Azovstal had about 600 wounded, with almost no medicine, water, or food.
Western media reported that on 17 May, at least seven busloads of Ukrainian fighters left Azovstal under the control of the Russian occupiers. 256 defenders, including 51 wounded, were taken to a penal colony in Olenivka. The Ukrainian soldiers will be interrogated.
