“Azov” accuses politicians of cynicism and calls for “drastic action” to evacuate the wounded

OLENA ROSHCHINA — SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2022, 2:48 PM

The deputy commander of the Azov regiment, Captain Sviatoslav Palamar, known as "Kalina," says that the shelling of the Azovstal plant continues, and the evacuation has not been completed, so the authorities need to continue the evacuation and evacuate the fighters.

Source: Sviatoslav Palamar at a briefing with Azovstal

Quote: "Today, intensive shelling of the Azovstal plant is underway. During the night alone, we counted more than 25 sorties, including three strategic bombers. Cannon artillery is working, tanks are working, mortars are working, the infantry are trying to storm [the steelworks], snipers and so on.

Over the past three days, civilians have been evacuated from the Azovstal plant. Has everyone been evacuated? We cannot definitely say this, since not a single international organisation or power structure has come here to Azovstal, nor have our Ukrainian politicians; there is no special equipment to clear all the rubble. 

And it is a shame that all this is happening alongside drastic words such as ‘we succeeded,’ ‘we did everything,’ ‘the order was executed’ and so on."

Details: Palamar-"Kalina" stated that two days ago during the so-called "silence regime" three Ukrainian fighters were killed and six more were wounded. "This is the price of evacuating civilians from the territory of the plant," he said.

Quote: "It is extremely painful that some politicians during the negotiations were hearing statements that you guys are minding your own business and taking time to evacuate all civilians. This was said to our commander, the hero of Ukraine Denys Prokopenko. This man commands the garrison, commands the defence of Mariupol... 

‘Our business’ - this just means the protection of the people of Ukraine and the protection of civilians. And it is a shame that some politicians have no tact, but only cynicism - cynicism about a successful operation to evacuate civilians.

There are many dead on the territory of the plant, both civilians and military. In Mariupol, tens of thousands of citizens who died as a result of the aggression of the Russian Federation troops and their mercenaries have not been evacuated. 

For two and a half months we have been asking the whole world, journalists and politicians, to evacuate civilians. And just now we managed to evacuate a couple of hundred civilians. And a lot of civilians were evacuated to territory controlled by the Russian Federation. 

This is joy through tears, because the work is not completed."

Details: Palamar thanked those who intervened and agreed on the evacuation of civilians, but stressed that many wounded remained at Azovstal.

Quote: "We are waiting for drastic action to bring about a real ceasefire. We still have a lot of wounded soldiers, for whom we are screaming for help. They need to be given the first opportunity to evacuate. 

‘We thank everyone, but we do not thank the military,’ these are the words of politicians. We are not here for words. We are here for the people of Ukraine. We are doing our military duty. We don't need praise, but we need justice. And we always talk about that. We have nothing to hide. We are not in a position to lie.

We will always, as long as we are alive, fight for justice. For expelling the Russian occupiers. And for bringing civilians and wounded soldiers out."

Background: Mariupol has been blockaded by Russian troops since 1 March.

The defenders of Mariupol are in underground bunkers at the Azovstal plant. Over the past week, women, children and the elderly have been evacuated from there. The authorities hoped to evacuate the doctors and the wounded from the plant as the next step.