Kremlin pretends that they do not know the future of Azovstal defenders
"UKRAINSKA PRAVDA" - THURSDAY, 9 JUNE, 2022, 14:59
Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary for the Russian president, said the Kremlin had no information about the future or any decisions regarding the Ukrainian soldiers who had left Azovstal.
Source: Russian news agency Interfax
Quote from Peskov: "I cannot answer this question (regarding the future of Ukrainian defenders, - ed.) as we do not have this information."
Previously: According to Ukrainska Pravda's interlocutors in military intelligence, 2,449 people left Azovstal. All of them are in the village of Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast (CADLR), although Russian media reported the transfer of some prisoners of war to Russia.
According to UP sources, the agreements with the Russians were as follows: the fighters must stay alive, no torture, separate detention of the Azovstal fighters and preparation for exchange.
Background:
- Mariupol was blockaded by the Russian troops on 1 March. From the end of April, the defenders of Mariupol were stuck inside the Azovstal plant: they included representatives of the "Azov" Regiment of the National Guard, marines, border guards, and police. They asked the world to rescue them: the marines asked for "extraction", while the Azov Regiment asked that at least the wounded soldiers be evacuated.
- On 16 May, the Russians continued to try to enter the plant or block the exit from the Azovstal bunkers, and then stated that they had allegedly agreed with Ukrainian defenders to evacuate wounded soldiers to the occupied territories.
- The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that the "Mariupol" garrison had fulfilled its combat mission and now the commanders have an order to save the lives of the personnel. The Ministry of Defence explained that there is no other way to save the defenders from Azovstal, except to go out under the control of the occupiers.
- Western media reported that on 17 May, at least seven buses with Ukrainian fighters left Azovstal under the control of the Russian occupiers. 256 defenders, including 51 wounded, were taken to a penal colony in Olenivka. Ukrainian soldiers will be interrogated.
