Ukrainian military commander Denis Prokopenko announced on Friday that the last Ukrainian soldiers hiding at the Azovstal plant in the city of Mariupol had received orders from Kiev to stop fighting.
“The high military command ordered to save the lives of soldiers… defend the city,” Prokopenko, commander of the ultranationalist “Azov” battalion, one of the Ukrainian troops at the factory, said in a video message.
Prokopenko confirmed that all civilians had been evacuated from the factory territory, and also talked about the evacuation of the wounded, promising to exchange them all later.
He also said that negotiations are underway to transfer the corpses of the dead “Azov” to their relatives in the territories controlled by Kyiv.
Earlier today, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that in recent days, more than 1,900 soldiers were hiding in “Azovestal”, the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in the city, others had been freed a few weeks ago. ago, the surrender.
It is noteworthy that the Russian army surrounded militants at the Azov Staal plant for several weeks, while more than once announcing the opening of humanitarian corridors to transport civilians.
He also offered the militants to surrender, promising to guarantee their lives and provide first aid to the wounded.
Source: AFP
Source: Arabic RT
