Ukrainian force begins evacuating from last Mariupol stronghold

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

KYIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine, May 16 (Reuters) - Troops holed up in the last Ukrainian stronghold in the besieged port of Mariupol began evacuating on Monday, appearing to cede control of the once prosperous city to Russia after months of bombardment. Ukraine's deputy defence minister said 53 injured troops from the Azovstal steelworks were taken to a hospital in the Russian-controlled town of Novoazovsk, some 32 kilometres (20 miles) to the east.

Another 211 people were taken to the town of Olenivka, in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatists, Deputy Defence Minister Anna Malyar said. All of the evacuees will be subject to a potential prisoner exchange with Russia, she added. Reuters saw five buses carrying troops from Azovstal arrive in Novoazovsk late on Monday. Some of the evacuated troops were wounded and carried out of the buses on stretchers. Some 600 troops were believed to have been inside the steel plant.

"We hope that we will be able to save the lives of our guys," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a late night address. "There are severely wounded ones among them. They're receiving care. Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive." Ukraine's military said it had "ordered the commanders of the units stationed at Azovstal to save the lives of the personnel" and that troops there had fulfilled their combat mission.

Efforts to rescue troops still inside were under way, the military added. It did not say how many troops remained. Ukrainian troops say they held out in Azovstal for 82 days, buying time for the rest of Ukraine to battle Russian forces and secure Western arms needed to withstand Russia's assault. But the evacuation likely marked the end of the longest and bloodiest battle of the Ukraine war and a significant defeat for Ukraine. Mariupol is now in ruins after a Russian siege that Ukraine says killed tens of thousands of people in the city.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-counter-attacks-russian-forces-east-2022-05-16/

[Lonestarblue]

1. Russia need to pay for rebuilding every single building in Mariupol.

And they need to be charged with war crimes for their attacks there. At the beginning of this war, I felt some compassions for the Russian people because they too are caught in the crosshairs of the delusion of one man. Perhaps it’s fear or propaganda or extremist beliefs that Ukraine has no right to exist apart from Russia, but whatever it is the Russian people know what has happened and have acquiesced to brutal murders of Ukrainians, including civilians and children. They are not a country that wants to be part of the world order. The world will leave them to survive alone as countries refuse to buy their gas and major global corporations sell up and leave. So be it.

[PortTack]

2. +1000

[867-5309.]

6. Did US citizens acquiesce to murdering Iraqis?

I really don't want to see our disdain for Putin grow into disdain for the Russian people.

[maxsolomon]

3. These are the Azov Brigade fighters, right?

The ones the Russians call Nazis and Banderites, and used as a pretext to invade?

I wouldn't expect Russia to exchange them. Parade them on TV then put them on trial is more likely.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Not all of them

There is apparently a mix of different military there including the Azov Battalion -

Link to tweet

Maria Zolkina
@Mariia_Zolkina
#Azov, 12th brigade of National Guard of UA, 36 separate brigade of marines, border officers, policemen, volunteers, territorial defense forces of #Mariupol. Guys, you are heroes forever! Hope to see you all soon in #Ukraine, free of occupiers
6:44 PM · May 16, 2022

Mariupol: Hundreds of besieged Ukrainian soldiers evacuated

Published

1 hour ago



Ukraine has confirmed that hundreds of its fighters trapped for more than two months in Mariupol's Azovstal steelworks have been evacuated. Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said 53 badly wounded soldiers were taken to the town of Novoazovsk, held by Russian-backed rebels. She said another 211 were evacuated using a humanitarian corridor to Olenivka - another rebel-held town.

Russia earlier said a deal had been reached to evacuate the injured troops. About a dozen buses carrying Ukrainian fighters who were holed up beneath the besieged plant were seen leaving the huge industrial site in the southern port city on Monday evening, Reuters news agency reported. Russian state-run media outlets also posted footage of what they say were injured Ukrainian soldiers being evacuated from Azovstal. Ms Maliar said the troops would be exchanged for captured Russian soldiers.

(snip)

Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers - the Azov regiment, the National Guard, police and territorial defence units - as well as a number of civilians have been holed up at the site since advancing Russian troops encircled the southern city in early March. It was not immediately clear how many people still remain in underground bunkers. Ms Maliar said Ukraine's military, intelligence, National Guard and Border Service were "carrying out joint efforts to save" those left behind.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61472025

[David__77]

5. Wikipedia called Azov "neo-Nazi."

Russia has simply called them Nazis.

[867-5309.]

7. I'm surprised the Russians and Ukrainians came to an agreement

to get them released, tbh.

[roamer65]

8. Sounds like yet again the RuZZians lied.

Now they are talking about executing the Azovstal fighters.

Ukraine should consider tit for tat if they do.

[Socal31]

10. Think about it.

It's dangerous that the story is being told this way.

[Socal31]

9. Trying to protect the public perception is putting the soldiers in danger.

What is it called when you "negotiate" an end to fighting, and are taken in the custody of the enemy to said enemy's territory?

They are POWs and they desperately need to be recognized as such by Western media, or they have zero chance of surviving Putin's rage.