Ukraine negotiations: drama about steel mill fighters - Mariupol thriller continues after evacuation
Created: 05/17/2022, 11:59 am
By: Patrick Mayer
During the Ukraine war, hundreds of soldiers are evacuated from the Azov steelworks in Mariupol - by the Russian invading troops.
But many are still entrenched.
Negotiation Ticker.
Negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine war:
Hundreds of Mariupol fighters are evacuated to the occupied area.
After the first bus transports: Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers are still waiting in the Azov steelworks.
This
news ticker on the Russia-Ukraine negotiations and international efforts
is continuously updated.
Munich/Mariupol - It was images that caused great emotions in Ukraine during the war with Russia.
On Tuesday night (May 17), 264 soldiers were evacuated from the Azov steelworks in Mariupol.
53 seriously injured were taken to Novoazovsk for treatment and 211 other soldiers to Olenivka, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said late Monday evening.
Efforts to evacuate the remaining soldiers should continue this Tuesday, according to Ukrainian sources, sources in Kyiv said.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced a ceasefire in Mariupol on Monday to allow wounded Ukrainian soldiers to be taken out of the Azov-Stahl steelworks.
Moscow had named "medical facilities" in Novoazovsk as the target of the evacuation operation.
Means: The Ukrainian fighters were taken to Russian-occupied territory - they become prisoners of war.
Negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine war: Hundreds of Mariupol fighters are evacuated
"We hope that we can save the lives of our boys," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video message: "I would like to underline: Ukraine needs its Ukrainian heroes alive.
That is our principle.” The general staff of the Ukrainian army had previously declared on Tuesday night that the soldiers had “fulfilled their combat mission”.
The commanders would now have orders to "save the lives" of the remaining soldiers.
Taken to Russian-occupied territory: Ukrainian fighters are evacuated in buses from the Azov steelworks in Mariupol.
© Alexey Kudenko/Sputnik/dpa
Negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine war: Hundreds of soldiers still entrenched in the Azov steelworks
Around 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, including 600 injured, were still in the tunnel systems last week, according to the Ukrainian authorities.
The fighters were subjected to constant bombardment by Russian troops.
The evacuated soldiers are to be returned to Ukraine at a later date as part of a prisoner exchange, Kyiv said.
What will happen to the remaining marines and national guards at the Azov steelworks? In this news ticker we keep you up to date on the negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine war.
(pm)
