Bodies of 220 defenders of Mariupol are started to be identified in Kyiv - ex-commander of "Azov"

OLENA ROSHCHINA  — SUNDAY, 12 JUNE 2022, 15:21

During two exchanges of the bodies of the dead, Ukraine received the bodies of 220 defenders of Mariupol who were at the Azovstal plant - the process of identifying the dead began in Kyiv.

Source: Maksym Zhorin, former commander of the Azov Regiment (2016-2017)

Quote from Zhorin: "I can't say many details, but I can share some information.

There have already been two exchanges of bodies: the first - 160 for 160 [160 Ukrainian defenders for 160 Russian soldiers]… During the second exchange recently, we were able to exchange and return almost 60 bodies. (...)

Almost as many more bodies need to be returned. Almost as many bodies are in Mariupol. Now there are processes, negotiations on their further exchange and returning [them] home. "

Details: Azov defenders constitute about a third among the dead [bodies] who have already been exchanged, Zhorin said.

There are dead fighters from all divisions: marines, police, Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), and state border guards. This can be determined from clothing and chevrons, but it will take a long time to personally identify each defender.

Quote: "Absolutely all the bodies of Ukrainian defenders (who have already been returned - ed.) are already in Kyiv - and now a very complicated work is underway to identify the bodies. Most of these bodies are in a terrible state and it is impossible to visually identify them."

Details: It will be necessary to conduct complex examinations, the identification process may take several months, Zhorin said.

According to him, the patronage service of Azov is trying to speed up and facilitate identification.

Zhorin also emphasised that the talks will continue until Ukraine returns all the dead defenders.

Background:

• The city of Mariupol has been under the Russian siege since 1 March. Ukrainian troops defending Mariupol, including the Azov Regiment of the National Guard, marines, border guards, and police officers, retreated to Azovstal steel works, where they were besieged from late April. The marines asked for an extraction procedure to be carried out to evacuate Azovstal defenders, while the Azov Regiment called for the evacuation of at least the most severely wounded soldiers.
• The defenders of Mariupol entered the Russian-controlled territory on 16-20 May. According to the Russian side, 2,439 fighters came out of the Azovstal dungeons. Representatives of the Red Cross registered Ukrainian defenders as prisoners of war.
• On 18 May, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that the soldiers of the Mariupol garrison had completed their combat mission, and unit commanders had been ordered to save the lives of military personnel. The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine explained that there was no other way to save the defenders from Azovstal, except to go out to the enemy.
• The Russians and their accomplices from the temporarily occupied territories are threatening Azov fighters with a lawsuit. The exchange of prisoners has not been discussed yet, despite the agreement. However, Ukraine has received the bodies of the dead defenders of Mariupol.
• On 2 June, Ukraine and Russia exchanged the bodies of dead soldiers based on a "160 to 160" formula, allegedly including the bodies of at least 52 soldiers of the Azov Regiment. On 8 June, another 50 fallen heroes were returned, 37 of them defenders from Azovstal.

Read more: An Island of Hope: How the Azovstal defenders got out and where they are now