“The evacuation of 53 seriously wounded soldiers has begun. They were delivered to a medical institution in Novoazovsk. Another 211 defenders through the humanitarian corridor were evacuated to Olenívka with further return of them to the controlled Ukrainian territory through the exchange procedure,” they added.
#UPDATE Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers have been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steelworks — the last holdout of troops defending the southern port city of Mariupol — Kyiv sayshttps://t.co/VavClGzeyj pic.twitter.com/X2jdCc5fq7
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 17, 2022
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces also mentioned the units defending the Azovstal steel plant to honor them.
“Mariupol defenders are heroes of our time. They are forever in history,” they emphasized. This is a separate squad of Azov, 12th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, 36th separate marine brigade, border guards, police officers, volunteers, territorial defense forces Mariupol.
According to them, these units who have defended Mariupol were instrumental in delaying the Russian advances of some 17 battalion tactical groups comprised of some 20,000 personnel—specifically, hindering the capture of Zaporizhzhia and other such areas nearby.
“Forging the enemy’s core forces around Mariupol has given us the opportunity to prepare and create the defensive frontiers on which our troops are still present today and give a decent counterpoint to the aggressor. We got the critically needed time to build reserves, regroup forces, and get help from partners.”
In response, the Azov regiment, a far-right nationalist unit of the Ukrainian national guard, has decided to comply with their superiors despite wanting to fight on, admittedly with low food supplies and low ammo.
“In order to save lives, the entire Mariupol garrison is implementing the approved decision of the supreme military command and hopes for the support of the Ukrainian people,” they said.
The decimated city of Mariupol was once a symbol of Russian aggression in Ukraine, with it being the center of international news due to the Mariupol drama theater bombing where civilians had been taking shelter against Russian shelling and the bombing of multiple Mariupol hospitals. Notably, these are the incidents where Russia had been accused of committing war crimes aside from those in Bucha, where mass killings and torture have been allegedly committed by the Russian forces.
Today, the city of Mariupol, specifically the Azovstal steel plant, is seen by Ukrainians as a symbol of Ukrainian willpower of resistance and bravery of the troops stationed within it. There is no doubt that the Ukrainian people will honor those who have been fighting in the city after the war ends. Currently, the Ukrainian fighters are enjoying widespread support in their country, with murals and paintings spread throughout Ukraine in a show of support.
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